Four teenagers, three of them minors, appeared in a Limassol court on Monday over a robbery of food couriers in Germasogeia on Sunday night, as investigators examine three more attacks in the same area that night that have yet to be reported to police.
Limassol CID asked the court, in a closed session, to remand the four for eight days. Their lawyers objected, and the court adjourned to rule on the request.
The four are being investigated for offences including conspiracy to commit a felony, robbery, unlawful possession of offensive weapons, face covering, vagrancy and loitering, unlawful possession of property and unlawful possession of a gas-spraying device.
Material under investigation suggests the attacks were organised. One of the 16-year-olds told police in a written statement that the second 16-year-old told him a group planned to attack couriers as “reprisals” for an attack on one of their group by a courier the previous day. He said about 20 people attacked and beat couriers who passed, and that one courier’s motorbike was stolen. He said he and the others went only to watch, and left after realising the group was looking for more couriers. After his arrest, he is reported to have said: “Yes, we were there too, but we didn’t beat anyone.”
Investigators are also checking whether the four are linked to a second robbery, in Mouttagiaka, where a number of people attacked a 26-year-old food courier riding a motorbike on a delivery at around 9.40pm.
CCTV footage from near the scene of the first robbery shows a group of youths gathered for a long time in a Germasogeia park, and three other couriers who passed the spot were attacked. Investigators are examining whether the four are linked to those attacks. Most of the group wore black trousers and black tops, which resemble what the four wore when they were found and arrested.
The 18-year-old is reported to have said after his arrest: “I was just running with the others.” A body search found a black gas-spraying device in his waist bag. The 17-year-old is reported to have told the arresting officer: “Sorry, I didn’t do anything.” In written statements, both placed themselves near the scene but denied involvement in the robbery. The 18-year-old said he was walking with the second 16-year-old and the 17-year-old when they saw people with covered faces attacking couriers with bats. The 17-year-old said they saw a group of youths attack a foreign national holding an electric bicycle with sticks.
The second 16-year-old is reported to have said “I didn’t do anything” when cautioned. A body search found a bank card bearing the name “kauri finance” in another person’s name. Police said he did not adequately explain why he had it, and he was also arrested for unlawful possession of property. In his written statement he denied any involvement.
The three minors are students, while the 18-year-old is unemployed.
