POLICE WERE yesterday investigating the theft and vandalism of two cars in a Nicosia district village, which is believed to be the work of delinquents.
The incident took place in Geri sometime between Wednesday night and the early hours of Thursday morning, they said.
“We are very concerned about this incident,” said police spokesman Demetris Demetriou.
According to reports, strangers made off with two cars from a Geri garage which had been parked outside. Both were unlocked and the keys had been left on them. After taking the vehicles for a spin, the assailants set fire to one and caused extensive damage to the other. Both cars were found abandoned by police in an empty field in the Latsia area.
The missing cars were reported stolen by the garagee owner – a Pallouriotissa resident – on Thursday morning.
Police believe the thieves are most likely youths who live in the area and had no reason to steal the vehicles other than to have a bit of fun.
Nicosia CID is investigating the incident and has already questioned a number of youths in the area and has indications their suspicions regarding the assailants’ age to be correct.
Geri is a known delinquency hotspot, which has troubled police numerous times in the past. A couple of years ago police carried out several large-scale police campaigns to clampdown on the youths who gathered in the village square at the weekend and caused havoc.
Demetriou said: “We have had problems in Geri before. It is one of the areas which displays increased delinquency in the Nicosia district and of course concerns us.”
He added: “We had a small campaign last week and charged a number of youths for traffic violations including underage driving, driving a motorcycle without a helmet and other offences. I can’t say whether any larger-scale campaigns are being planned.”
But Geri community leader Haris Loizides said not to blame Geri for every single crime.
“Let’s not dump everything on Geri. That we have a problem (with delinquency) it’s true we do. We also have a serious drug problem. But let’s not blame Geri and the residents of Geri for everything that goes wrong,” he told the Cyprus Mail.
Demetriou said plans to create a police station in Latsia were still underway. The suggestion was made as a way to help stamp out the growing delinquency problem in the area.
“By having a police station in Latsia it will mean the police is closer to its citizens. There will also be better policing of the area as the jurisdiction under the police station’s control will be made smaller,” the police officer said.
At present Geri is under the control of Lycavitos police station. As Demetriou pointed out it would be much easier for officers to patrol Geri from Latsia than from Lycavitos as was the present situation.
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