A 46-year-old man has been arrested in Paphos in connection with a robbery, knife attack and the injury of a 24-year-old supermarket employee, police said on Wednesday.
The robbery occurred around 5.45pm on Tuesday, when a private security guard at a Paphos supermarket spotted a man resembling a suspect who had previously stolen alcoholic drinks from the same store. The guard also noticed the suspect appeared to be hiding a bottle under his clothes.
After the 46-year-old paid for some items at the till, he attempted to leave the store, where the guard and a 24-year-old employee stopped him and explained why. The suspect allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed the employee in the right leg before fleeing the scene.
Police officers arrived immediately and began searches in the area. Around 6.15pm, they located the suspect driving a car out of a nearby car park belonging to another shop. He was stopped for inspection, and officers found a folding knife in his possession. He was arrested on the spot.
A search of his car revealed supermarket goods, a piece of paper containing a quantity of white crystalline substance believed to be methamphetamine, and a glass drug-use pipe with burnt residue. The suspect tested positive for narcotics in a preliminary drug-driving test.
A court warrant was later issued for his arrest, and he remains in custody as investigations continue. The 24-year-old victim was taken to Paphos General Hospital, treated for lacerations to his right leg, and discharged shortly after 9pm.
The case is being jointly investigated by Paphos CID, the Drug Law Enforcement Unit (YKAN) and Paphos Traffic Police.
Also read: Series of alleged attacks on women in Limassol under investigation
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