Thursday, November 3rd 2016, En route through Athens
I am pretty reckless. An attribute that always made me happy, but the people surrounding me get negatively affected by it. Sometimes I tend to unintentionally take advantage of people, because I got low empathy and I am very patient. As long as I think something is nonessential or I don’t have any advantage from it, I won’t do it. The biggest reason why I will never be able to live together with anyone and stay forever alone. I desperately need to change myself, but that’s easier said than done. How often do I receive gratitude after doing something nice? Not often, which is probably my own attitude.
One good example is our “Driving problem”, because it’s no secret to me that Marcos would like to drive this car too. If he just asks me once, I would let him drive it right away, but he didn’t. So, I’m thinking it can’t be that important for him and I continue to use the opportunity to keep on driving. I feel sorry for him.
While driving back to the office we aren’t talking much. Nothing interesting happened since yesterday. I don’t want to tell him about the call from my mother. I promised to celebrate Christmas with Marcos and his flat-share, because I am always welcome there and Marcos thought it’s an excellent idea. Christmastime is, next to summer, Marcos favourite season, even though he isn’t Christian. The time spent together with family and friends is the most important of all for him. When my family celebrates at my grandma’s it will get out of hand and end up being a full family reunion, including family pictures and other horrors that I have to go through. I turn up the volume of the music from Marcos phone, sounding through the speakers to help myself thinking or to show off.
I am not a big thinker, which is surprising, because I’m smart and was good at school. For me it isn’t crucial to think a lot about something, but to understand it, though those are just my standards. You’re only a real genius when you think out of the box and strive for more knowledge. One thing I don’t desire, why should I want to know more than I have to know?
On the contrary I limit it to memorizing and examine my surroundings. In the process unfeasible thoughts come to mind, especially when I am surrounded by strangers in the bus.
How can anyone look like this?
What is this weird smell?
Does he really need to sit right next to me? There are a hundred other seats!
What takes them so long up there?
Common thoughts by me. As we ride through the streets of Athens the clouds in the sky clear out and a short time later the sun shines again.
<<<
We have trained plenty of debriefings like this before. Gathering the evidence, revising the parties involved and sorting other information. This time it’s neither a game nor a training. We spread out every clue we have on the ground. Miss Szymanska promised to send us the results of the forensics after they are analysed in the laboratory.
“If the burglars only took the six figurines and the mask, and didn’t even touch the other artworks, they must have a high value.”, Marcos ponders, bend forward over the notes and pictures. “That means our culprits are professional and know a thing about art.”
He finally sits down on the ground and I kneel beside him picking up the photo of the birthday party. “Maybe they are searching for expensive artworks, steal them and subsequently selling them again.”
“This is a good indication. We should browse the data we got and check if anything similar happened lately.”
Before we could start our investigation, we had to get the access to the computer network. Maik can help us and I called him over with the headset. He arrived quicker than expected, like he’s been waiting for his cue. After we seriously needed an hour for the introduction of the system – now we knew how to search for a person’s criminal record and where the data of bygone cases are saved – it was ready so that we could revise our assumptions.
Unfortunately, in the past weeks or months there were no similar cases. Two years ago, a rare painting got stolen by regular bulgers, which means they took other items too. A short time later the next bad news reached us.
The results from the laboratory didn’t add up to anything. The DNS and none of the shoeprints could be assigned to any of the registered criminals, that means they are either first offender or not to be found in the databank of Greece.
“It has to be impossible that we fail at the simplest case.” I cover my face with my hands and if possible my whole body too.
“Now don’t say something like this. It surely is hard for the first time, but not impossible. We lack the evidence to progress and we will find it.”, Marcos tries to cheer me up.
“So, how? I don’t have any more options.” I hate it to not know how to proceed. Now I have to recall what we learned and which procedure we shall do next. To start my mindset anew I say the following: “Alright, I have to be honest. Before I came home yesterday I went to a traveling agency and bought a map of Athens.”
“Okay…”
I was hoping for a clear visualization of the situation, even though the location of the crime scene won’t be a good help for me. But as soon as the map is spread out on the ground and my eyes automatically focus on the places I am familiar with; my thoughts start to gather around to be reasonable again.
“We should keep an eye on the illegal art market, as much as possible. Additionally, we have to interrogate the neighbours, that’s what we forgot.”
Marcos turns around to his computer. By the way, he has chosen the desk with the wall in his back and a view to the room. I have the door to the left behind me and have to stare at the naked wall.
“Good, do you know any Websites where you can buy rare original artworks illegally?” Of course, I didn’t know any, but I told him to search for it, while we are heading back to Roduo 32. I am mad and make an internal note to myself, so that next time we will be interrogating all the possible witnesses right away. I turn up the volume of my rap music.
Meanwhile, Marcos is fixated on his phone, searching websites, reading reports, news articles, and blog posts until he seems to be an expert regarding this topic. Shortly before where there he reports his findings to me.
“As far as I could find out, there doesn’t seem to be a public market, which would obviously make it too easy for us.”, he let out a sight. “There merely exist some merchants, who sell their “goods” to museums and collectors. They, in the majority of cases, don’t know what’s behind all of this because the documentary evidence of origin is either faked or full of gaps and unclear, since the objects have passed through many hands. The criminals escape the police easily by using fake identities and moving to other countries.”
If that’s how it is we can keep an eye on collectors of African art and keep record of the objects in every auction house. Of course, the two of us will never be able to do this alone, so we have to send a message to all police stations and agencies, which will (have to) help us.
“The illegal market with cultural goods is more lucrative than I thought. Here it says, that the UNESCO assumes a total revenue of approximately 6 billion €. It can even be compared to the drug- or arms trafficking, at least when it comes to the methods used.”, Marcos explains until we arrive.
I parc at the same space as this morning. The forensics are gone and the house stands silent, as if nothing ever happened. We get out of the car and slam the car doors, a direful sound. Now it’s the neighbour’s turn, even when I don’t expect much from it. Certainly, they would have approached us on our first visit and told us everything they know. I hope, they would have done that. Nevertheless, we shove our warrant card under every one of the in the neighbouring houses living people’s noses. As much as we try to dig deeper, no one broadens our horizon with new information. No suspicious sounds, no flare of a flashlight that goes by the wall or behind the curtains. Since everyone seems to have been asleep we estimated the time of the break-in to be somewhere between 23:00 o’clock or 05:00 o’clock. This time period doesn’t help us at all.
“The only source where I’m hoping for helpful results is the illegal art market. I mean when you steal something your goal is to make money of it.”, Marcos rather assures himself, than telling me. We decided to take a walk around the neighbourhood, before we drive back. Marcos needs fresh air and movement to ponder clearly.
“Maybe we should go through the criminal records of other countries, even if the chances are minimal, we have to take it.”, I suggest.
We pass several multi-story buildings, which all, beside some little details, look the same. On the ground level there are small shops that have just opened. Sadly, shops like this never endure the hard-economic environment Greece is in right now. That means the owners have to fight for their survival. Still I heard about start-ups that made profit again and are staying in business.
“I see potential in this proposition. It’s very likely, that these people steal in one country and sell it in another country.”
“I don’t know if they really put that much effort into it, but you are probably right.” Marcos smiles.
I wonder how he can be so optimistic, that’s just one of our differences. “Also, the boss sees that we are doing at least something. You have to admit too, that in the end we have no idea what we should do.”
He looks at me, visibly shocked. “What do you mean by that? There is merely little evidence and that is all. It’s part of our job to find out more.” Of course, he is right. Still, I feel like I’m completely mystified. Why did I do all this training if it doesn’t help me now and I can’t figure out a plan. “Toby, I suggest we drive back to the headquarters, you call the forensics and ask them for the favour.” Before I can interfere that I always drive, Marcos interrupts me. “I sit at the wheel.”
>>>
Oh yeah, we didn’t go for the usual strategy of driver picks the music, for safety reasons. Listening to your favourite songs while driving can make you inattentive and cause your co-driver to get very pissed for your choice of music. It’s 100% my fault we have this rule, because I can’t hold myself back and sing the whole song. That’s why the beat is jumping in the boxes now, while Tobias is taking his phone call.
“Just ask every country that come to mind with things like this… I don’t know. China? Or Poland?... Yes sure, African countries count in as well.”
Since it is on the way I pay a short visit to “Infinity” a little popular café in Kosta Varnali, a long street where Tobias lives. He is still having a call, as I return with two coffees and sandwiches.
“There are 52, if I counted correctly… no? How could I forget the ivory coast?” Toby laughs heartily and I wonder who he is talking to. Though he has already cast an eye on Lucy. Hopefully he doesn’t have a new chosen one. Thanking me, he takes the food, and we are heading back to work.
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