Limassol armed robbery interrupted ‘gambling tournament’

The armed robbery which took place in Limassol on Wednesday night interrupted a gambling tournament, it emerged on Friday.

Speaking to CyBC radio, police spokesman Christos Andreou said the police have “received some information that at the given time, there was gambling going on” inside the building.

“This is information that is being investigated,” he said, adding, “the essence of the case is the robbery and the manner in which the specific crime was committed.”

He added that authorities are channelling their focus into identifying the perpetrators and ascertaining what was stolen, both in terms of money and goods.

Additionally, he said, the police are still searching for witnesses to aid their investigation.

“There are some people who were not identified at the scene because they had left due to the shock they had suffered. It is expected that we will take statements from them,” he said.

Regarding potential motives for the crime, he said “no specific information” has yet come to light.

“There is nothing concrete, people are being questioned, and we are in the stage of identifying witnesses,” he said.

The building at which the robbery took place had initially been operating as a restaurant, until it closed in 2018 and was purchased by its current owner.

Police are therefore expected to carry out an investigation to determine under what guise the building was operating and who frequented it.

According to Phileleftheros, the building hosted regular poker tournaments, private parties, and other gambling activities.

The newspaper also believes that one of the people injured is a Greek Cypriot, who, they said, “resisted the robbers and as a result received several blows to the head”.

Another person, of Georgian origin, was also injured, while Russian businessmen were also present at the building when the robbery took place.

It is understood that as a result of initial investigations, suspicions have been raised against a Bulgarian national who is “well known to the authorities”. He was called to give a statement to police in Limassol on Friday.

Four hooded men had entered the building, which is located in the Ayios Georgios Alamanos area of Limassol, carrying pistols and short-barrelled weapons.

They reportedly then forced the partygoers to lie on the ground, tied their hands with cable ties, and fired several shots in the air.

With the partygoers immobilised, they then reportedly made off with up to €20,000 worth of money and goods, including mobile phones, watches, car keys, and wallets.