A 27-year-old man has been arrested in the Famagusta district as police investigate the theft of wood with the aim of selling it as firewood, the force announced on Sunday.

The theft was reported by a 39-year-old firewood seller on Friday. According to the complaint, between January 14 and 22, unknown people stole wood which he had bought and was storing in an open area in the district.

He told police the value of what was stolen reached €3,000.

During investigations the 27-year-old was named and an arrest warrant was issued against him.

On Saturday morning the police saw the 27-year-old in the place where the wood was stored, chopping wood and loading it into his car.

In co-operation with the British Bases police, officers then searched his home where they found a stash of firewood.