Teens remanded in Kiti arson case
The Larnaca district court on Tuesday issued a one-day remand against two 14-year-olds and a 16-year-old to facilitate police investigations regarding a case that took place in Kiti on May 4 at 9pm, which involved malicious damage, conspiracy to commit a crime, public disturbance, unlawful assembly, rioting, theft and illegal possession of explosive material.
According to a police statement, the incident saw around 70 people setting fire to a wood pile in Kiti, resulting in the Fire Service having to intervene to put out the blaze that had spread to nearby cypress trees. Police officers also rushed to the scene to regulate the traffic flow and make space for the fire trucks’ operations.
The three arrested teenagers were seen throwing firecrackers at police officers as well as inside a nearby 73-year-old man’s residence.
“As a result, a large fire broke out withing the 73-year-old’s yard and pergola,” the police statement said. “Moreover, the three individuals also threw rocks at the man’s window and fled when police officers arrived at the scene.”
Approximately two and a half hours later, the teenagers reportedly returned to the scene where they resumed throwing rocks at the house windows. Once again, police were not able to pursue them once they were called to intervene.
On Monday, four people, two aged 14 and two aged 16, were arrested under judicial warrants.
One of the 16-year-olds was eventually released when police officers could not pin him at the location where the incident took place, while the other three were brought in front of the Larnaca district court and remanded for a day.