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Tagspolice
Former police spokesman’s home targeted
A HAND grenade was thrown at the Limassol home of former police spokesman Michalis Katsounotos in the early hours of yesterday.Police say the attack was connected to Katsounotos’ current duties as the head of Limassol Traffic Police.According to the head of Limassol Police, Yiannis Georgiou, Katsounotos has a good idea who was behind the attack and a number of people have been summoned to give statements.Georgiou added that the force would not tolerate such acts against members of the police and it would be “relentless” in investigating the case... 2 comments
Better policing for 2012 to tackle road deaths
IMPROVED policing and better awareness is the way forward to reduce road deaths that saw an increase in 2011, according to Communications Minister Efthymios Flourentzos.Flourentzos was speaking yesterday at a Road Safety Council meeting, where a report for 2011 and goals for the upcoming year were discussed. Also present was the Justice Minister Loucas Louca.Around 71 people were killed in a traffic accident in 2011, whereas in 2010 around 60 were killed.Policing and legislative proposals among other matters are a few of the issues that are to be dealt with during 2012, Flourentzos said... 5 comments
Burglaries, drug cases up, illegal immigrants down
SERIOUS CRIME remained at relatively unchanged in 2011 compared to the previous year, while the detection rate dropped slightly, police chief Michalis Papageorgiou said yesterday, saying the main increase was recorded in the number of burglaries.Presenting crime and detection statistics for 2011, Papageorgiou said there was a “slight increase” of 0.5 per cent between 2010 and 2011 in cases of serious crime. Specifically, 8,387 cases were reported in 2010 of which 4,463 (53.2 per cent) were solved. In 2011, there were 8,430 reported cases of which 4,243 (50.3 per cent) were solved.“Many of these cases are still under investigation and the detection rate will likely improve,” he said... 7 comments
Fanieros walks free after witnesses retract testimonies
LARNACA businessman Antonis Fanieros was yesterday let free on the advice of the Attorney-general’s office after three prosecution witnesses retracted their testimonies on the first day of his trial.Police chief Michalis Papageorgiou called the development “a failure of the system”. Fanieros, 67, was arrested during a police raid on September 23 and formally charged on October 10.Three others were also facing charges: Costantinos Hadjiantonis, Andreas Charalambous and Neophytos Moleskis. All but the latter were held in custody until trial facing 28 charges including arson, participation in a criminal organisation and extortion allegedly committed between 2010 and 2011... 4 comments
Drug runner remanded after trying to drive over police officers
A 22-YEAR-OLD from Limassol has been remanded in custody for eight days after he tried to run over police officers when he was stopped for a check. The suspect was arrested around 9pm on Monday night after an eventful car chase which caused damage to three cars.After being detained, police found a stash of around 6.5kg of cannabis in a bag in the 22-year-old’s car.The suspect told the court yesterday he was operating as an intermediary for an unnamed person who had ordered him to pick the bag up from a bus stop. He claimed that he was hired for €500.The 22-year-old is facing charges of illegal import and possession of drugs with the intent of trafficking, conspiracy to commit a felony and causing a car accident. ... 5 comments
Two arrested for running Larnaca brothel
A 38-YEAR-OLD woman and a 34-year-man, both Greek nationals, were arrested yesterday in Larnaca during the early hours for prostitution and for maintaining a brothel in an apartment.The suspects also face charges of collecting proceedings from prostitution and of conspiracy to commit misdemeanour.The suspects were arrested after police acted on a tip off and conducted an undercover operation at the apartment. ... 1 comment
Hiring freeze difficult for busy police
THE GOVERNMENT hiring freeze makes the work of the police even harder, especially in light of Cyprus assuming the EU presidency in the second half of the year, the island’s top policeman said.Michalis Papageorgiou said the force’s job this year will be very difficult since beyond normal duties it would have to step up security due to the presidency, which starts in July and the campaign ahead of the February 2013 presidential elections.The chief said the hiring freeze has left vacant 152 positions, which would have helped the police better respond to its duties.While demand for policing increased, the force’s personnel and equipment decreased, Papageorgiou said, adding that he has requested for the police to be exempted from the freeze... 2 comments
27 caught for incorrect use of highway
AROUND 27 drivers were caught on Monday for incorrect use of the new three-lane Nicosia-Limassol highway, according to Traffic Police boss Demetris Demetriou.“We started the checks for the correct use of the three lanes, and on the first day we had 27 reports,” said Demetriou, adding that drivers caught will be fined €65.According to Demetriou, most of the drivers make the same mistake whereby even though the left lane is empty they remain in the right and far right lane, or overtake on the inside... 5 comments
New police spokesman appointed
NICOLETTA Tyrimou has been appointed police spokesperson as of yesterday following the transfer of Michalis Katsounotos.He will take up his new position as head of traffic police in his home town of Limassol.“I rest easy that I fulfilled to the fullest capacity the duties entrusted in me, defending the force based on principles of transparency, honesty and objectivity,” Katsounotos said yesterday... Read on
No new leads on mother of abandoned baby
POLICE yesterday continued searching for the mother of a newborn girl found dead from starvation and hypothermia on Monday under an olive tree in Larnaca. “We are carrying on investigations but as of yet have not uncovered any new evidence,” police spokeswoman Nicoletta Tyrimou told the Mail. The baby was discovered in Aradippou on Monday morning and according to pathologist Eleni Antoniou was abandoned a few hours after birth, probably on Sunday night. She seems to have died from “starvation and climatic conditions – the cold. The baby definitely suffered hypothermia”, said Antoniou who did the post-mortem.Antoniou said that the baby was born by natural labour and was still connected to the placenta. ... 1 comment
