Ex-US diplomat held in Cyprus over suspected theft

POLICE said yesterday a Greek man arrested on Monday on suspicion of theft was a
former US diplomat who had joint nationality.

Loucas Kakogeorgiou, 37, was arrested on Monday after police received a complaint from his employer, claiming he had had robbed him of £300.

“He is in custody on suspicion of burglary and theft,” a police spokeswoman said, adding a court had issued a six-day remand order for the suspect. He has not been charged.
She said police found two Greek passports in his possession, three US passports, including a diplomatic passport and one issued in France, 50 credit cards and scores of student identification cards and US drivers’ licences.

The US embassy in Nicosia confirmed the suspect, who is 37, once worked for the US State Department.

An embassy official said the individual appeared to have dual Greek and American nationality and was arrested in Limassol on Monday.

“He was a diplomat. Since the person no longer works there he no longer has diplomatic privileges,” the embassy official said.

Justice Minister Sophocles Sophocleous told state radio: “This is a very serious case … This individual is wanted in the United States on suspicion of forgery.”

The suspect was arrested in connection with a break-in at a Limassol radio station last week, police said. It was not immediately clear how long he had been living in Cyprus.
Police are examining the possibility of a connection between Kakogeorgiou and Andreas Mariou, who was recently killed in a motorbike accident and whose home was found to contain a huge number of arms.