Jeweller remanded over Stylianides burglary

JEWELLER Nicos Ioannou was remanded for four days by Nicosia district Court yesterday on suspicion of receiving stolen goods, in the form of jewellery burgled from former government spokesman Christos Stylianides’ home.

Ioannou, 65, from Dhali, was arrested on Friday afternoon, the third arrest in connection with the case. He was implicated by a married couple, Koulla Michael, 31, and George Petrou, 39, who were arrested on Thursday. Both have been remanded for eight days.

The jewellery was stolen from Stylianides’ wife Thoulla at their family home on January 6. Thoulla later recognised one of her stolen brooches while at a jewellery exhibition laid on by Ioannou’s company.

The incident was reported to police, who searched Ioannou’s jewellery shop on Onasagorou Street in Nicosia. There they found &40,000 worth of jewels that Thoulla Stylianides identified as her own.

Ioannou told police he bought the jewels for £15,800 from Michael.

Further investigations revealed jewels hidden in Michael’s home. She has claimed that her husband gave her the jewellery to sell to Ioannou, but that he had been given it by another person.