Four days remand in connection with arson attack

By George Psyllides

A 27-year-old was on Thursday remanded in custody for four days by a Larnaca court in connection with an arson attack perpetrated on August 16.

Police said the man was arrested in connection with a fire that destroyed two cars, worth €5,000, parked at an apartment building in Larnaca.

Police said an eyewitness saw a man standing next to the burning cars. As soon as he noticed the witness, the man ran and got into a car waiting near the scene.

The witness took the vehicle’s number and gave it to police who found that it was registered to a woman from Nicosia.

Police also saw that back in June, a 40-year-old man from Nicosia had been booked for a traffic offence while driving the same vehicle at the Dromolaxia roundabout.

Officers in Nicosia put the 40-year-old’s home under surveillance and saw the suspect car arrive. Three men got out and entered the house for a few minutes before coming out and getting into a different car.

The car was intercepted and all three passengers, the 40-year-old, the co-driver, 33, from Nicosia, and a 25-year-old from Tala, in Paphos, were arrested.

The three denied any involvement in the case and offered alibis that were being investigated by police. Meanwhile police searched their homes, and took their clothing and mobile phones for examination.

The three were remanded in custody for eight days on August 16. Two days later, it emerged that the suspects had visited a house in Dromolaxia in the morning hours of August 16 where they met the 27-year-old suspect, among others.

Shortly afterwards, the suspect, along with the 40-year-old, got into a car and left the house, saying they were going somewhere to set a fire.

They returned just after 2am at the house in Dromolaxia where the 27-year-old was dropped off and the other two suspects picked up.

Police searched the 27-year-old’s house on Tuesday but nothing suspicious was found.

However, on Wednesday, the 40-year-old gave a statement implicating the 27-year-old in the arson.