POLICE in Ayia Napa are on the lookout for foreign men posing as Cypriot policemen and stealing money from tourists.
A source at Famagusta district police told the Cyprus Mail that undercover policemen had already sprung into action in an effort to quickly apprehend the culprits.
“We have had a few reports from tourists that they have had money stolen by men posing as policemen.
“Apparently the men, who we believe to be foreign because not only could they speak English but German as well, would stop hapless tourists in the street and demand to see their wallets. We believe the men are residents of the island and could be possibly Slovak or Polish.
“The culprits would then take the money out of the wallets without the tourists noticing and hand the wallets back. They would only realise the theft later or once they get back to their hotels. These men dress smartly, even wearing ties at times, in civilian clothing and prey on foreign tourists who would not know that they weren’t Cypriot.
“We have currently assigned undercover policemen to the other area and we are continuing are investigations.”
However, a bar owner in Ayia Napa square was stunned to hear that there was such an operation going on in the area.
“This is news to me. I have never heard of any thefts like this of any kind. I will have to tell my customers here to be careful when approached by plain-clothed men saying they are police officers.”
Meanhwile, suggestions that the resort has become a target for pickpockets were dismissed by the owner of another bar.
“This is the first I have heard of this and I have no idea where people got the idea that there are pickpockets roaming around Ayia Napa. I think a lot of the time people, and especially tourists, think they get their wallets or purses stolen when in fact they are forgetting them somewhere and losing them when they are drunk.
“Only the other day one of the workers here at the bar was convinced someone had stolen his wallet. We later found out that he had forgotten it at the bar of one of the nightclubs. Fortunately it was found by one of the barmen who returned it back to him.”
