A 25-year-old man was arrested on Monday night in connection with a stolen police patrol car and handed a three-day remand order on Tuesday by the Larnaca district court.

Larnaca police spokesman Spyros Chrysostomou said the man, a resident of Livadia, was being investigated for theft, reckless driving and driving a vehicle without the consent of the owner or insurance.

Meanwhile, the police officer who was responsible for the patrol car at the time it went missing has been suspended pending investigations.

The police said investigations would be conducted into the circumstances of the theft and possible disciplinary offences on behalf of the officer.

The patrol car was being used in foot-and-mouth disease monitoring operations in Larnaca.

The van-type service vehicle was stolen on Sunday at around 1am.

A pursuit led to a dead-end street in Larnaca, where the man abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot.