NICOSIA C.I.D. are currently looking into the theft of a chequebook, which has led to the detention of three people after they all attempted to cash in the cheques.
The third man was detained for six days yesterday on suspicion of attempting to cash a stolen cheque at a Nicosia bank on Wednesday.
The prosecution is set to charge him with six counts of theft and forgery.
Investigating CID officer Charalambos Charalambous told the court yesterday that his department had received a complaint on May 4 this year in which a man from Ormidhia village reported to police that his chequebook had been stolen.
The chequebook number codes were immediately placed on the stop-payment list and all banks in Cyprus and abroad were alerted.
The officer also told the court that two people had recently been remanded for eight days for the same offence. Both suspects had Cypriot ID cards.
“On May 8, a Turkish Cypriot couple attempted to cash 14 cheques, worth a total of £2,870, from the Co-op bank in Nicosia,” said Charalambous.
“The bank employees immediately recognised that the cheques originated from a stolen chequebook and alerted Nicosia CID. They were immediately taken to CID Headquarters for questioning.”
Under questioning both suspects told officers that the cheques were given to them from a Turkish Cypriot man from Pyla who agreed to lend them money. They added that they were computer company owners and that the man had agreed to lend them around £57,500.
The suspect told them that he would lend them the money in small doses.
The man from Ormidhia recognised that the cheques were his and that his signature had been forged.
“An arrest warrant was issued against them and they were held in remand. An arrest warrant against the third suspect was also issued,” added the officer.
The third suspect fell into the clutches of the law when he walked into the same Nicosia Co-op bank on Wednesday and attempted to cash a £750 cheque. The cheque was again recognised as being from the stolen chequebook belonging to the man from Ormidhia.
Officers arrived at the bank and arrested the man. He denied knowing that the cheques were stolen, telling officers that the cheque was given to his wife by her employer.
“Upon his arrest, the man told officers, ‘I haven’t done anything. I never knew that the cheque was stolen’.”
The arresting officer said the offences were serious and that investigators were still trying to get to the bottom of the case. Nine statements had been taken already and that 20 more were expected.
He also told the judge that the stolen chequebook had yet to be located.
The Judge agreed to keep the man in remand for six days.
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