Police on Tuesday morning arrested a 23-year-old foreign national in connection with the attempted murder of a security guard and the arson of four cars belonging to a rental company in Pyla on August 14.

According to Larnaca police, the 23-year-old was arrested at a house in the suburbs of Nicosia in joint operation involving Larnaca police and the police special anti-terror unit MMAD.

“Various items have been seized for scientific and other examinations,” police said.

The suspect was detained under a court warrant and remains under investigation for offences including attempted murder, arson, unlawful possession of a firearm and explosives, and handling stolen property.

Two other foreign nationals are already in custody over the same case.

He is expected to appear before Larnaca district court on Wednesday.

At around 4am on August 14, four cars were set on fire at the premises of a car rental office on the Larnaca-Dhekelia coastal road in Pyla.

Investigations later revealed that two individuals arrived in a vehicle, poured flammable liquid over the cars and set them on fire.

Although no one was injured during the incident, a security guard who was on duty at the scene reported hearing gunshots. Larnaca CID are conducting investigations into the case.

The arrest of the 23-year-old follows three other arrests made in connection with the case within the last two weeks. On August 21, an 18-year-old European citizen was arrested over alleged involvement in the case, on August 27 a second arrest of a third-country national aged 27 followed.

On August 28, police arrested another suspect, a 44-year-old third-country national, who is already serving a prison sentence, to assist police investigations into the case.