Pafos Live 29/10
The Police are investigating a new case of fraud through phone calls for the payment of alleged out-of-court fines.
According to a complaint submitted to the Paphos Police Department by a 37-year-old woman, she received a phone call today from an unknown person, who, speaking in English, claimed to be a police officer and told her that there was an unpaid fine that had been issued to her. The screen of the 37-year-old's phone was written with the fake name "cypruspolice9990@gmail.com", instead of the phone number or the name of the person who was calling her.
The 37-year-old was convinced by the suspect's words and reported her bank account details to him, to settle the payment of the alleged fine. The 37-year-old then found that her account had been debited with the amount of €784, as a result of which she realized that she had been deceived.
The case is being investigated by the Financial Crime Investigation Office, of the Paphos Police Department.
On the occasion of this new case of fraud and extortion, the Police once again informs the public that it never communicates with citizens in this way, nor does it call on citizens to reveal their personal and bank details for any payment.
The public is requested to be especially careful when receiving telephone calls of this nature from unknown persons. As a protective measure, it is recommended that the public avoid following the instructions of suspicious persons and that they never disclose personal and banking data.
Finally, in order to verify any telephone calls they receive, citizens are urged to contact the mentioned Organizations, through notified official communication channels.
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The Police recommends caution to the public, as the fraud with false phone messages for the payment of alleged out-of-court fines continues.
According to a new complaint submitted today to the Nicosia Police Department by a 45-year-old woman, yesterday, October 27, she received a telephone message regarding an allegedly unpaid out-of-court fine. The 45-year-old followed an electronic link, which was mentioned in the message, and was led to a website, where she entered the registration details of the vehicle. Subsequently, a fake document appeared on the page, with the logo of the Republic and with information about an alleged complaint of a traffic violation with a fine of €6.59.
The 45-year-old followed the option to pay the alleged fine, entering her personal and bank card details, as well as the one-time security code "OTP", but without completing the transaction. However, from a check she made through her online bank account, the 45-year-old found that her account had been debited with the payment of an amount of €1,219, which was made through an unknown website.
The case is being investigated by the Financial Crime Investigation Unit, of the Nicosia Police Department.
On the occasion of this new case of fraud and extortion, the Police once again informs the public that they never communicate with citizens in this way or through any other communication platform to call on citizens to pay any fines or for any other reason.
The public is kindly requested to exercise special caution when receiving messages containing electronic links. As a protection measure, it is recommended that the public avoid following such electronic links and that they never report or register personal and banking details on unknown websites.
Finally, in order to verify any messages they receive, citizens are urged to communicate with the mentioned Organizations, through notified official communication channels.
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A case of robbery committed against a 20-year-old man, is being investigated by the Police in Limassol. The robbery was committed about 20 minutes after midnight today, in the area of Agia Zoni.
According to a complaint filed by the 20-year-old with the Limassol Police Department, while riding a motorcycle in the area of Agia Zoni, two persons who were moving on foot on the road, stopped his course and under the threat of a knife demanded that he hand over his motorcycle to them.
After the 20-year-old refused, one suspect attacked him and threw him to the ground, while the second suspect stole the motorcycle in which he fled. Subsequently, the first suspect stole the money in the possession of the 20-year-old and fled on foot.
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Filenews
The presence and action of the Police last night was intense, throughout Cyprus, with organized patrols in key points of urban areas, with the aim of preventing serious criminal acts, ensuring public order and increasing the sense of security of the public.
As a result of the preventive policing operations, six persons were arrested, for offenses such as theft, illegal possession of property, illegal employment, exercising the profession of private security guard without a license, illegal possession of duty-free tobacco products, as well as for pending court fine warrants.
As part of these operations, during the night, 381 vehicles were stopped for inspection and 487 persons on board were checked. At the same time, 35 inspections of premises were carried out, with the aim of dealing with phenomena of delinquency.
During traffic checks carried out, 246 complaints were made, concerning various traffic violations, while 15 investigated cases of traffic violations also emerged. As part of the police examinations, 13 vehicles were detained.
Of the complaints made about traffic violations, 134 complaints concerned exceeding the speed limit. For driving under the influence of alcohol, 89 vehicle driver checks were carried out, from which five driver complaints emerged. For driving under the influence of drugs, five driver checks were carried out, with a negative indication.
Policing operations, for the prevention and suppression of crime, continue daily, with an enhanced police presence, targeted controls and immediate operational action, with the aim of protecting citizens and ensuring public order.
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As part of the investigation of a drug trafficking case, involving a quantity of crystal methamphetamine weighing about one kilogram, which was found in a postal parcel and confiscated, the Police proceeded to arrest a 33-year-old woman.
The 33-year-old was arrested shortly before 9:00 in the morning yesterday on the basis of a court warrant, issued following evidence obtained from the examinations carried out by the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (D.A.O.E. - Drug Enforcement Service, and Sub-Directorate of Intelligence and Special Operations).
A 42-year-old man was arrested on October 23 in Nicosia for the drug trafficking case, who presented himself at a post office to receive the package with the amount of crystal methamphetamine. The 42-year-old is in eight-day detention, on the basis of a court order issued on October 24, for the purpose of investigating the case.
During today's police operation that led to the arrest of the 33-year-old, a 25-year-old man was also located and arrested, for the self-inflicted crime of illegal stay in the territory of the Republic, since it was found that he is illegally in Cyprus.
DAOE – YKAN Nicosia continues the examinations
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A disturbance was caused in Limassol due to a fight between 30 people, as a result of which the authorities were mobilized.
In a relevant information from the Police, it is reported that following information today at noon, members of the Police went for examinations in the area of Four Lights in the Turkish Cypriot quarter of Limassol.
The reason was the complaint about a clash between about 30 people in the area.
To suppress the fight, the members of the Police proceeded to use anti-riot sprays, as a result of which the suspects fled.
The Police continue the investigations and examinations to identify the persons who participated in the fight.
According to our police information, a group of Turkish Cypriots was allegedly involved in the clash. The circumstances under which the clash took place as well as the causes that caused it, are being examined by the Police, who continue the investigations to identify the persons involved.
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Today's proceedings of the unprecedented case with the blindness of eight patients who had undergone cataract surgery in a private hospital in Nicosia have been postponed to mid-November (13/10/2020).
The representative of the prosecuting authority, Elena Konstantinou, stated before the District Judge, Pavlos Agapitos, that there is no convergence of positions with the defense of the two accused doctors regarding the reporting of facts for the purpose of imposing a sentence. On the basis of this development, he asked for a time frame, in order to avoid the possibility of an intermediate judicial process that will also bring about a long delay.
So Mr. Agapitos scheduled a trial for November 17. Until then, the two sides are expected to agree on the report of facts. If there is no unforeseen circumstances, then on this date they will be put before the Judge for approval, while the defense will argue for a mitigation of the sentence of the two doctors. We remind you that Ilias Stefanou, Marios Spyrou and Rebecca Athanasiou appear on behalf of the latter.
The two ophthalmologists on September 30 had pleaded guilty to the charge they face for the eight persons and after the indictment was amended by the prosecution.
What differed is not the accusation of negligent and reckless acts, but the details of the offenses mentioned in the indictment. Previously, the two doctors were accused of causing blindness by reusing a consumable. Now, the wording has changed and is limited to mentioning that they "endangered human life or are likely to cause bodily harm to another", reusing disposable disposables.
The patients had suffered blindness in one of their eyes, as after the operation in October 2020 they were infected with the multidrug-resistant strain pseudomonas aeruginosa and lost their vision.
The case arose in October 2020 and the Legal Service gave instructions to register it with the Court in February 2022.
In the meantime, specifically one year after the operation of the eight patients, two of them had already died. On October 17, 2021, when she had passed away at the age of 79, Christoulla Strati, her grandson Father Raphael, had made statements to the Alpha TV station linking her death to the cataract surgery that the deceased had performed. "Since the death certificate tells me multi-organ failure and heart failure, I can very well draw the conclusion and say that this incident and the infection that existed affected her vital organs," he had said characteristically.
After the operation, Mrs. Strati had lost her vision in her right eye and her eyeball had been removed. "I will vindicate all eight. As long as I live and breathe, I will not allow the first to the last to say that these people are not justified," Father Raphael had said, among other things.
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Two of the six suspects who are in custody for the cinema robbery in Sfalagiotissa admitted their involvement in the case, describing to the investigators of the TAE Limassol in detail their way of acting. According to what they reported, they monitored the residence for three days, while part of the money stolen by some of them was played in the casino after the robbery.
The six suspects, aged 25, 24, 27, 20, 29 and 24, all of Syrian origin, were brought again today Thursday (29/10) before the Limassol District Court, as their detention order expired. The investigator of the case requested the renewal of their detention for another eight days, with the request being accepted by the Court.
As Filenews is informed, during the interrogations, new information emerged about how the robbery was organized and executed, as well as about the management of the stolen property.
The 24-year-old suspect, who was arrested as an associate of the perpetrators, interrogated in writing, confessed that on the instructions of one of the three wanted persons, he went to the house of an unsuspecting citizen, in order to receive the stolen property and put it under his custody.
In the meantime, the 36-year-old Russian complainant was summoned and went to the offices of the TAE Limassol, where she described in detail the circumstances under which the robbery was committed. At the same time, he identified a total of 110 pieces of jewellery, which are part of the stolen property, the total value of which amounts to €327,000.
According to the same information, in addition to the jewellery, the complainant also identified three wanted persons, whom she indicated as persons who participated in the robbery. She also identified the 5th suspect as the person who had worked at her residence in January 2026, when she installed a door.
As part of the investigation of the case, investigators secured testimony from two of the suspects, who admitted their involvement in the robbery. One of them described in detail how they entered the residence and acted, stating at the same time that he recognizes all the suspects.
According to his same confession, they monitored the residence for three days before committing the robbery. He also stated that an attempt was made to enter the residence before. He also said that part of the money was distributed by one of the wanted in the area where the 1st suspect, aged 25, lives.
At the same time, the Police secured written testimony according to which, after the robbery, the 3 and 5 suspects (27 and 29 years old) went with the two wanted persons to the casino in Limassol, where they used money from the loot to gamble.
Questioned in writing, the 29-year-old suspect claimed that he was asleep and that he was woken up by the 27-year-old. He also claimed that he gambled the amount of €100 at the casino. However, according to the information that has been obtained, at the casino he played the amount of €480.
Other testimonies are expected to be taken in the case, while so far six investigations have been carried out and 155 items have been received. Investigations continue to identify the three wanted persons, who cooperated with the six suspects and had substantial and direct involvement in the robbery. At the same time, the authorities continue the investigations to locate the firearm used by the perpetrators, as well as the clothing they were wearing when committing the robbery.
