Man suspected of robbing house of hit and run victim arrested (updated)

A 30-year-old man has admitted to breaking into the home of the victim of Sunday’s hit-and-run and the case has been submitted to the district court, Paphos police deputy chief Michalis Ioannou told the Cyprus News Agency on Thursday.

The man, who is a relative of the victim, was arrested earlier on Thursday. Police said there was evidence implicating the 30-year-old man with the burglary and theft. Ioannou said the man had taken advantage of the woman’s death, broken into her home and stolen several items.

Androulla Papachristoforou, 60, died in Paphos hospital on Sunday night when she was rushed there by ambulance after being hit by a car. The driver fled the scene.

A 44-year-old man was arrested as the suspected driver the following day and remanded in custody for six days on Tuesday. He is being held on suspicion of manslaughter, causing death by dangerous and reckless action and abandoning the scene of the accident.

He denies the charges and says he was not driving the vehicle involved in the collision on the night of the accident.

On Wednesday police said another vehicle had first hit the woman as she was crossing the street, leaving her dazed, and also abandoned the scene. That driver and vehicle are also being sought by police.

As relatives grieved the woman’s death, someone broke into her house in Kato Paphos and stole a number of items. The burglary was reported by the deceased’s son.

He told police he had gone to his mother’s house and noticed that the kitchen window had been forced open. Items taken from the house, including a TV, a computer and perfume, were discovered at a nearby building which is under construction.

Meanwhile, police are continuing their search for the driver of the first vehicle that is believed to have hit the woman and then drove off.

Paphos police spokesman Michalis Nicolaou said according to testimony about the first car to have hit the woman. She was injured and remained sitting on the road, where she was hit by the second car.