A MAN still wanted by police in connection with Wednesday’s armed raid on a Limassol bank yesterday gave himself in.
The surrender came just hours after another three suspects had been remanded in custody for eight days in connection with the robbery. A fourth suspect, arrested on Wednesday, was released yesterday.
Chrysanthos Ioannou, alias Athos from Kolossi, give himself in at Episkopi police station yesterday afternoon.
Police had earlier warned the public that Athos was believed to be armed and dangerous.
Police investigators had earlier told Limassol court that three men — Iakovos Sakkos, 27, Vassilis Patouris, 22, both from Trachoni, and 30-year-old Sotiris Charalambous, alias Steve, from Limassol — had been arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of conspiracy to commit felony, armed robbery, and illegal possession and transfer of firearms and explosives.
The armed raid took place at 9.30am on Wednesday at a branch of Laiki Bank on the corner of Ayia Zoni and Makarios avenue in Limassol.
Two robbers, dressed in black and wearing black motorcycle helmets, one of them armed with a shotgun, got away with around £74,000 in cash.
According to witnesses, they entered the bank through the back door and forced staff and customers on the floor at gunpoint.
The men escaped on a stolen red scooter, which was later found on a nearby street.
But they were seen abandoning the scooter and fleeing in a silver car.
Witnesses noted the number plate, which led police to its owner, Sakkos.
Investigators told the court they had found two bags in an open space south of town.
One of the bags was empty, while the second contained a sawn-off shotgun, a pistol and a jacket, all believed to have been used by the robbers.
Police also found another jacket and some burned clothes under a bridge near the village of Fassoulla.
The car was found by police in a Trachoni car wash, owned by Patouris.
The three suspects deny any involvement with the heist.
Meanwhile, a pipe bomb yesterday went off in a car owned by the fourth robbery suspect, Athos.
The bomb went off at 12.30am at a used car lot.
The device was placed in the front part of a Mercedes belonging to Athos, which had been put up for sale around a month ago.
The explosion caused light damage to the car.
ARSONIST in Limassol yesterday set fire to a Mitsubishi Lancer belonging to Yiannakos Timotheou.
The car was parked outside the La Bamba bar on Karajias Street, when the fire started in the early hours of the morning.
Police swept the scene for clues and their initial findings led them to believe the fire had been started deliberately.
The owner said yesterday he had received several death threats recently.
He told reporters he had asked for police protection, which apparently had not been granted.
Damage to car was estimated at £3,500.
