Two arson attacks in Limassol

TWO CARS parked in different areas of Limassol were torched by unknown arsonists in the early hours of yesterday.

In the first arson attack around 1.30am, a luxury car worth €65,000 was torched. The car, owned by a 25-year-old man was parked outside his Polemidia residence. The luxury vehicle was completely destroyed as a result of the blaze, which police later determined had been set intentionally. A second car, owned by a 52-year-old man that was parked next to the targeted vehicle also sustained considerable damage.

The 25-year-old owner of the luxury car, along with other individuals, had in the past been questioned by police in connection with an assault against 60-year-old Chrystalla Fotiou last year when a gang of youths went to her house and assaulted her husband when he went outside to see what they wanted. There had been an issue earlier over parking and the gang followed the couple home.

Fotiou’s husband, in a bid to defend his wife, had pointed a gun at her attackers but inadvertently shot and killed her instead. He was then set upon by the gang as his wife lay dying.

Members of the Fotiou family were questioned by police based on the suspicion that the arson against the 25-year-old’s car was an act of revenge for the woman’s death.

Police, however, found nothing incriminating against the family.

In a second arson attack that took place at approximately 3.30am, a car was torched while it was parked outside an Internet cafι in the Ayios Ioannis area. The car belonged to the 47-year-old owner of the cafι, and had been the intended prize of a draw the cafι-owner had organised for his customers.

The fire was put out by the Fire Service, while the car sustained extensive damage. Police are investigating both cases.

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