larnaca burglary — A sixth arrest has been made in connection with a high-profile burglary staged in Larnaca in February 2024. A 31-year-old man appeared in court on Sunday, where he was handed a five-day remand. He joins five other suspects aged 43, 42, 41, 29, and 27 who have already been apprehended over their alleged roles in the incident.
Four of the previously arrested men are currently serving life sentences after being convicted for their involvement in the murder of Demetris Andronikou. Andronikou was tragically shot three times in broad daylight while riding his motorcycle in the Nicosia suburb of Lakatamia on April 23, 2024. Following the shooting, he suffered severe complications and ultimately died of sepsis related to his injuries on May 28, 2024.
The Larnaca burglary took place in the early hours of February 19, 2024, when four assailants forcibly entered the home of a prominent land developer. According to the newspaper Phileleftheros, the burglars smashed the back door and threatened the occupants—a 58-year-old woman and two domestic workers—with garden shears. They demanded valuables, taking mobile phones, jewellery, and compelling the woman to open the house’s safe.
From the safe, the intruders stole watches, more jewellery, and cash, amassing a total value of €188,000 in stolen items. Following a review of CCTV footage, investigators identified a fifth suspect. It was also revealed that the assailants had arrived at the property in a stolen vehicle, which they later abandoned in the Yermasoyia riverbed.
A few days post-burglary, one of the stolen watches was spotted for sale on a social media platform. This led authorities to a jewellery shop in Lebanon, where the shop owner reported that the watch had been “recommended” to him by individuals who contacted him from Cyprus. Following this lead, the 41-year-old suspect was arrested, alleged to have made the contact with the jewellery shop owner. Additionally, a 30-year-old man was detained for selling two rings stolen from the property to a jewellery shop in Nicosia.
The 41-year-old suspect provided testimony implicating the three other murder convicts in the burglary. The 43-year-old suspect was arrested on February 11 this year and has since appealed against his remand; a court session is scheduled for Monday to address this appeal. Separate charges are being filed against the 30-year-old.
