In just four days the industrial town of Pernik, just outside Sofia, has experienced a series of crimes. These include a brutal attack on a local policeman and a vehicle and an arson attack on a coffee shop, news agencies said.

On September 23 2009, local Strouma daily reported that Dimitar Dimitrov, a former member of Pernik's anti-mafia police unit and currently an employee at Sofia's criminal police directorate, was attacked by two men while sitting at a coffee shop in Pernik.

The attack happened on September 20. Dimitrov was set upon by Rossen Efremov and Yordan "Dancho the Hatchet"  Haralampiev, in broad daylight. The pair, described by Strouma as a "drug dealer and his friend", were reportedly "under the influence of alcohol".

The pair entered the coffee shop and started beating Dimitrov in front other customers, after which they fled, Strouma said. Dimitrov suffered head injuries but his condition was not serious. Both attackers were declared wanted by the police.

Dimitrov has been with the Interior Ministry for the past eight years. He conducted an investigation against Efremov who was arrested in 2007 on charges of drug-dealing in Pernik. The case against him is still in court.

In 2008, Efremov attacked another police officer working on his case, Strouma said. Both Efremov and Haralampiev have criminal records. They have been involved in kidnappings, beatings and blackmailing, according to media reports.

Two days after the attack on Dimitrov, a Mercedes vehicle was set on fire together with a nearby coffee shop.