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The next day, a passer-by found a diamond-encrusted necklace and wore it all day at the office before watching the news and realising where it had come from.

Rehman's car then mounted the pavement and struck the girl, who was given emergency treatment as a junior doctor and other passers-by ran to help.

"This is a criminal act, which endangered the lives of people, employees and passers-by, in a central point of Athens and during peak traffic hour," he said in a statement.

A passer-by who reportedly heard Ms Campanella's screams tried to chase the attacker, who managed to flee.

Locals said heavily armed men had fired at buildings and passers-by and had set buildings and cars alight, sending residents fleeing for their lives.