A 32-year-old man arrested on Thursday over an arson attack on a restaurant at Limassol Marina was remanded for eight days by Limassol District Court on Friday. Investigators pieced together his alleged route to and from the scene from dozens of CCTV videos, and are also examining whether he may be linked to a shooting at a company building in Linopetra.
The attack happened at around 5.15am on Saturday, 31 October, when police received a report of a fire at the restaurant, which is owned by a 60-year-old businessman. The fire had been set maliciously at the glass display window, damaging it and equipment in the outdoor area.
Private security guards at the marina put out the fire before it could spread inside. Limassol CID and the Fire Service later found that a flammable substance had been used.
According to evidence presented to the court, the suspect set off on foot from his home in Agios Antonios and went first to a car park, where the footage allegedly shows him collecting items he had earlier hidden in a spot with dense vegetation. Wearing white shoes, dark trousers and a dark jacket with a fur hood, with his face covered, he then allegedly made his way to Limassol Marina along a specific route, entered the area around the restaurant and placed an object in front of its glass display window.
After the arson, he allegedly left on foot along the same route. At one point, he is allegedly seen taking off the jacket, a white sweatshirt and gloves and throwing them into a bin near Yildiz Street, before walking back home. Investigators found the items on 3 November and took them as evidence for forensic examination.
When he was brought to Limassol CID, he was wearing the same khaki top as the man in the footage, having allegedly thrown away the rest of his clothes.
Footage from another camera, which captured the man’s face at one point, was key to the identification. A police officer who viewed it recognised the man in the footage as the 32-year-old, and checks on the police computer system confirmed his details and home address.
After his arrest, he was questioned in writing and allegedly admitted the offence, describing how he had carried it out. A search of his home the same day, carried out with his written consent, found nothing.
Next steps
Investigators are examining all possibilities, including the possible link to the Linopetra shooting. They plan to take about 31 more statements from the suspect’s friends, family and work contacts, and from others linked directly or indirectly to the case, some with the help of an interpreter.
The suspect is also expected to take investigators to key locations. Police will examine more CCTV footage and obtain telecommunications and bank data, which may help shed light on the motive. Two more searches are planned at specific locations to find and collect evidence.
