POLICE ARE looking for a 40-year-old Limassol man suspected of issuing fake deeds to sell Turkish Cypriot properties worth £6.3 million.
Limassol CID yesterday received information that someone had prepared fake documents claiming to be signed by the Guardian of Turkish Cypriot properties in the south and attempted to lure businessmen.
The Greek Cypriot man used forged documents to sell six donums (0.8 hectares) of land in the Tzamouda area of Limassol.
“Even established businessmen fall into traps and are taken in by scams,” said Nikos Sofocleous, Senior Police Officer at Limassol’s Crime Investigation Department.
“We got a complaint yesterday by a developer that a 40-year-old Greek Cypriot from Limassol tricked him into buying land in the city’s Turkish quarter by forging official documents.”
“After paying the down-payment with a cheque, the developer reviewed the documents provided by the suspect and realised that he had been fooled.”
Limassol CID chief Nicos Sophocleous said yesterday that the businessman in question had presented the police with a power of attorney, supposedly signed by the Guardian of Turkish Cypriot properties. It later proved that the signature had been forged.
“It appears that the specific person’s signatures had been forged and that same person has filed a complaint to Police Headquarters,” said Sophocleous, adding that the fake mandate had been presented on behalf of the land’s Turkish Cypriot owner.
According to the police, the suspect was said to have approached a number of business owners in the last few weeks and presented them with the fake document, which he claimed the Guardian had signed for the sale of two properties in the Omonia area, near the old Limassol port.
The 40-year-old who has a long police record, allegedly forged the Turkish Cypriot owner’s signature in a Power of Attorney document, as well as documents bearing the stamp and signature of the Administrator of Turkish Cypriot properties.
A warrant for the man’s arrest has been issued, but the suspect has not been traced as of yet and is presently wanted by police. If caught, the man will face charges for forgery, extracting money with false pretences and fraud.
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