Police search for escapees, find stolen goods

Paphos police are still on the hunt for the two escapees who fled the district’s central holding cells on Saturday, with checks being carried out at key locations.

Deputy police chief Michalis Ioannou said on Tuesday morning that police had raided an apartment in which an acquaintance known to one of the escapees was staying, turning up a trove of seemingly stolen goods.

The escapees are Alexandros Sarkisides, aged 28, and Ernai Kozmiov, aged 34, both of Russian origin who hold Greek passports and are thought to be behind over 40 thefts from cars and houses.

Police spokesman Christos Andreou said on Monday they have not yet been able to rule out that the escapees may have had assistance from inside the detention centre, as the exit gates were seemingly left open.

Ioannou said that the allegedly stolen goods at the apartment included phones, cash, watches and electric tools which will be taken into the station to be assessed.

The unit assigned to catching the escapees is in contact with the crisis office, set up by the Paphos police, which is working throughout the day to bring the two men in.

Police appealed to the public to contact them with any information they might have to help locate the suspects on 26806021, the citizen’s line on 1460, through police’s app or website, or by visiting their nearest police station.