Suspect in arson attack on car dealership and shops in Limassol denies charges

A 28-year-old man accused of organizing a series of arson attacks and assaults on local businesses over the past six months appeared before the Limassol Permanent Criminal Court. The defendant faces 16 criminal charges, including conspiracy to commit a serious offence, wilful damage to property, break-ins, and unlawful possession of explosives and drugs. Despite the evidence gathered by investigators, he denied any involvement in all counts. By court order, he was remanded in custody at the Central Prison until the start of the trial on the merits, scheduled for September 2026.

The financial damage caused by the offender runs into hundreds of thousands of euros. The case file specifically highlights seven incidents involving the destruction of luxury cars, with a total value exceeding 500 thousand euros. The situation was further aggravated by the fact that the burned high-end vehicles contained works of art — six expensive paintings and seven valuable sculptures — with the loss estimated at an additional 144 thousand euros. According to the investigation, the arsons were used as a tool of pressure within an organized extortion scheme: the criminals demanded regular payments from Cypriot entrepreneurs for “protection,” and if they refused, they set fire to their business premises.

Law enforcement officers were able to trace the suspect thanks to a detailed analysis of CCTV footage after the attack on a car dealership in Limassol, which took place on 25 January 2026 at around 4:15 a.m. The cameras captured an unidentified man smashing a glass storefront, entering the premises, pouring accelerant and setting the place on fire together with the vehicles. By tracking the movements of a suspicious SUV with its sun visors lowered, investigators examined dozens of gigabytes of video from petrol stations and highways on the Limassol — Nicosia route via the Ayia Fila area. The route ended at a building in Nicosia, where the accused was detained by police while getting into that vehicle.