The arrest of a 22-year-old National Guard contract soldier over the attempted murder of a well-known figure has prompted police to investigate possible links to other serious crimes in Larnaca district last summer.
Larnaca CID is examining whether the suspect is connected to several unsolved cases, according to reliable philenews sources.
These include an attempted murder targeting a 49-year-old in Pyla on 14 July, shots fired at a 25-year-old woman’s vehicle in Oroklini on 8 August, and the arson of a 42-year-old’s car in Aradippou on 15 August.
The cases bear the hallmarks of organised crime, with some investigations extending to the Central Prisons.
The suspect allegedly attempted to murder a 47-year-old man on 31 July in the Dromolaxia Industrial Area. The prevailing theory is that he acted on orders from others, according to sources.
Investigations may extend beyond Larnaca, with the direction of enquiries depending on ballistic tests of a loaded 9mm pistol found at the suspect’s home and forensic examination of four mobile phones seized from him.
Other significant evidence found at his residence yesterday afternoon has been sent for scientific testing. The suspect had requested leave from his army camp on the day of the attempted murder.
The suspect, who has no previous police record, was arrested at 2.30pm yesterday in a car park in Larnaca. His arrest followed testimony indicating he admitted to his circle that he was responsible for the attempted murder of the 47-year-old.
He allegedly said he had previously monitored the target using different vehicles to avoid detection.
The 47-year-old victim, who was not injured in the attempt on his life, was cycling from the Dromolaxia Industrial Area towards Krasas on 31 July when he heard shots and saw a person on a motorcycle firing towards him, according to what he told police.
The suspect then abandoned the scooter and fled on foot through fields in the area.
Police located CCTV footage that captured the perpetrator’s escape route towards the salt lake pedestrian path. A black neck warmer found along this route appeared to have fallen from the perpetrator and contained DNA from an unknown male.
A buccal swab was taken from the 22-year-old yesterday to determine whether the DNA was his. The scooter left behind by the perpetrator was found to have been stolen by two people in Larnaca on 22 July.
Draconian security measures were taken during the transfer of the 22-year-old contract soldier to Larnaca court on Tuesday morning, as philenews previously reported.
Only journalists were allowed into the courtroom, whilst the suspect wore a bulletproof vest. The sworn statement of Larnaca CID sergeant Manolis Manolis was not read before the court, whilst the suspect’s defence lawyer, Christos Poutziouris, did not object to his detention.
Police conducted searches this morning at the camp where the contract soldier serves in Nicosia district, but found nothing.
According to National Guard sources, the procedure followed for contract soldiers in such cases is to deduct part of their salary for each day they remain in custody. In the event of a conviction, they are dismissed.
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