A total of 20 arrests have been made in the last two and a half months of people caught stealing unguarded items belonging to beachgoers at Finikoudes beach.

The latest arrests were made last Wednesday, when two children, aged 15 and 16 years old respectively, were arrested on suspicion of having stolen a bag which had been left on a sunbed.

The pair had been spotted by a bystander, who called the police, before retrieving the bag and handing it to the officers on the scene.

The two children were accused in writing in the presence of responsible adults, to be summoned to court at a later date.

With the number of thefts on the rise, the police have undertaken special measures at Finikoudes Beach, deploying bicycle-mounted officers to patrol the area since last Monday, and also stationing plainclothes officers on the beaches.

Larnaca police representative Spyros Chrysostomou had told newspaper Phileleftheros that the measures had seen “positive results”, especially during the evening hours, as many thefts had been committed in the evening hours after the lifeguards went home.

“Every night there are now around 10 police officers in the area, who carry out checks on cars and properties. In this way, we have managed to see a reduction in these incidents in that area,” Chrysostomou said.

The police had in July warned beachgoers that thieves were taking advantage of people leaving their belongings unattended while in the sea, and that bags, mobile phones, and wallets were thieves’ main targets.

They urged people to be “particularly vigilant” when visiting beaches, to refrain from carrying large sums of money with them, and to avoid leaving their belongings unattended.

A police spokesperson at the time told the Cyprus Mail there had been a “noticeable spike” in the number of thefts at beaches since the beginning of the summer season.

“This year, the phenomenon is particularly prevalent along the Finikoudes beach, as thieves tend to target bags, small purses and expensive mobile phones,” they said.

Finikoudes beach is not the only beach to see thefts, with beaches in the Famagusta district also having been hit by the phenomenon.

Many of those arrested in connection with the thefts have been minors and 18-year-olds.