Man detained at Ercan airport over stolen phone

A man who was about to leave north Cyprus was held by Ercan Airport immigration after it was discovered that he was placed on wanted list of the police for stealing a phone.

The suspect, DNO, an Indian national was identified and arrested by police at Ercan airport in north Cyprus while trying to leave the country on Friday last week.

He was accused to have stolen a mobile phone belonging to a 27-year-old woman who worked as a hostess at Almara Night Club in Alayköy.

He was taken to the Lefkosia district court on Saturday.

Police told the court that the suspect between the hours of 11.00pm and 12.00am on February 21, 2024, stole an iPhone Pro brand mobile phone worth 35,000TL belonging to a woman named as KS, who worked as a hostess in a nightclub in Alayköy.

Police said the suspect was arrested while he wanted to exit Ercan Airport on February 23, 2024. During immigration check, it was determined that the suspect had no residence permit in the TRNC for 464 days, since November 16, 2022.

Police reported that the suspect, when questioned, declared that he had taken her mobile phone. 

The police subsequently stated that the stolen phone was in the suspect's possession. 

Noting that the investigation was continuing, the police requested that the suspect be detained for 3 days.