Greek Cypriot police arrest escaped convicted murderer in Limassol

Greek Cypriot police on Sunday afternoon arrested the convicted murderer who has been on the run since Thursday after he was spotted on the Limassol sea front.

Following a chase lasting approximately 30 minutes, Theofanous was found hiding in a small shelter located in a dead-end near the Four Seasons Hotel in Limassol.

He was arrested at around 5.30pm in the Ayios Tychonas area of Limassol after police received a tip off from a member of the public. He had reportedly been spotted moving around the area suspiciously. The arrest followed alleged sightings of Theofanous, 42, on Sunday morning in Nicosia.

After a man working in a kiosk in Limassol recognised Doros Theofanous when he went in to buy something he contacted the police. Officers then moved into the area and closed it off before arresting him.

He has reportedly been staying in an apartment in Limassol since Thursday with a group of foreigners.

Police spokesman Christos Andreou said that nothing was found on Theofanous, and he will be taken to Paphos district court on Monday for a remand order while police investigate his escape.

At the time of his escape on Thursday, Theofanous had been serving a double life sentence for killing his pregnant partner, Julia Oporok and her three-year-old daughter in 2011.

Theofanous disappeared on Thursday when he was in Choletria in Paphos at a family function and under the guard of four prison officers and three members of the police special forces MMAD.

Investigations were launched immediately to track Theofanous down with the participation of a large police force and the assistance of a helicopter, dogs and drone.

A 26-year-old man is currently being held on an eight-day remand on suspicion of assisting the escape of a person in lawful custody and unlawful possession and transportation of explosives, conspiracy to commit a felony, committed between an unknown date and September 26.

According to the police, the 26-year-old confessed under questioning that he was the one who transported Theofanous by car to Limassol. He said he left him after Ypsonas near the DHL warehouses and did not see where the lifer was headed.

Police had initially made three other arrests: the 26-year-old’s father, aged 51, who was released after nothing came to light against him, Theofanous’ 68-year-old father who was released on Saturday and a 43-year-old man who was also released.

Andreou said that from the moment of Theofanous’ disappearance, crisis centres were set up at police headquarters and at the central stations in Limassol and Paphos under the chief of police.

“From his escape until today, police examinations continued without interruption,” he said. “Dozens of pieces of information were evaluated and searches were carried out in various open spaces and properties to locate the 42-year-old”.

Examinations are continuing to determine Theofanous’ movements since his escape and the circumstances that made it possible, in addition to identifying who else was involved.

Theofanous was picked up on Thursday from the Central Prison by the prison guards and MMAD officers and taken to his family home in Choletria for a scheduled visit.

Around noon, his guards realised he was missing but a search of the house and the area showed no signs of him.

In 2011, Theofanous was sentenced to life imprisonment for the premeditated murder of his partner, Yulia Oporok, 24, and 35 years in prison for the murder of her three 3-year-old daughter Victoria.