Crime
Man, 32, arrested over Limassol Marina restaurant arson
Limassol CID said the suspect admitted the offence under questioning. He is due in court on Friday for a remand hearing over the 31 October fire.
Limassol CID arrested a 32-year-old man from Limassol on Thursday over a deliberately started fire at a restaurant in the Limassol Marina area, police said.
The fire broke out at about 5.15am on Saturday 31 October. Police said a flammable substance had been used and that the blaze damaged the restaurant’s glass frontage. The Fire Service put it out and officers cordoned off the area.
The man was arrested on a court warrant and is in custody. He is expected to appear before Limassol District Court on Friday, where police will ask for him to be remanded.
Police said inquiries at the scene and in the wider area, together with the assessment of other evidence, produced testimony against him. They said he admitted the offence during questioning.
He has not been named and has not been convicted. Under Cypriot law he is presumed innocent unless a court finds otherwise.
What investigators examined
At the time of the fire, police said they had obtained CCTV footage from the area and were reviewing it. Officers from the Limassol police directorate attended with firefighters, and the scene was sealed off while examiners worked.
The restaurant’s owner had reported earlier threats, police said, and investigators were examining whether the fire was connected to a shooting in September.
On 16 September, unidentified people fired shots at a building in Linopetra that houses companies belonging to the same owner. Police investigated the owner’s account of threats linked to disputes with specific individuals but said at the time they had not established who was responsible. The shooting case remained under investigation.
After the fire, police said they intended to take a new statement from the owner to establish whether he had received recent threats or had information that could help the inquiry.
What is not known
Police have not said whether Thursday’s arrest is connected to the September shooting, whether they are looking for anyone else, or what charges the man may face. They also did not name the restaurant.
The remand hearing on Friday will determine how long he can be held while the investigation continues. A remand is not a finding of guilt.
What it means for you
An arrest is the start of a case, not a verdict. The man arrested on Thursday has not been convicted of any offence, and any charge would still have to be proved in court.
Anyone with information about the fire can contact the police emergency line on 112.
Sources (3)
- Philenews, Man, 32, arrested over arson at Limassol Marina restaurant, 5 November 2026 . Reports the arrest, the police account of the evidence and the court appearance on Friday.
- Politis, Man Arrested over Arson at Limassol Marina Restaurant, 5 November 2026 . CNA-sourced report confirming the arrest, the alleged admission and the remand request.
- Philenews, report on the 31 October Limassol restaurant fire, 31 October 2026 . Background on the fire, the CCTV inquiries and the earlier September shooting.