Former Strovolos mayor criticises police over alleged inaction

Former Strovolos mayor Savvas Eliofotou has strongly criticised police inaction amid claims that youths are “terrorising” elderly Klirou residents.

Eliofotou has alleged that a group of youths regularly harass elderly residents at night, one of whom is his brother, with the incidents having escalated into damaging private property.

Eliofotou took to social media to lambast the police – writing on Tuesday that “according to residents the police have been made aware of this for some time but did nothing”.

He explained that soon after condemning their inaction on social media the force then stated that youths have been called in and have admitted to most of the allegations.

“In a short matter of time, without much of a search, they called in the youths for comment, how did the police know them? Why didn’t they call them in previously?” he queried.

The former mayor claimed that youths vandalised his brother’s car with paint on Saturday, while other forms of harassment included ringing doorbells late at night and throwing rubbish in gardens.

He pointed out that the Nicosia village has its own police station, and the alleged incidents were taking place within 300 metres of the station.

“No one expects the community leader or community council to handle these violations on their own, but they should act – to call a meeting with the local police, social services; they can’t expect others to solve the problems for them,” Eliofotou complained.

He concluded that police on their own cannot solve the problem, as the matter requires a holistic approach including the welfare services to assist troubled youths.