Barbershop wars waged across district lines

Police are investigating arson and hand grenade attacks over recent days with at least two incidents involving barber shops across district lines, but investigators stopped short of saying whether they believe any cases could be linked.

A barber shop in Nicosia was targeted on Sunday early morning according to police, who said a hand grenade exploded inside the premises.

An official report said police were notified around 3:50am regarding unknown persons who threw a hand grenade inside the barber shop, causing an explosion and ensuing fire which burned a backwash barber chair.

Police said the fire was put out by the owner of the barbershop who rushed to the scene and then called authorities.

Another barbershop incident was reported a day earlier in Larnaca, after authorities were notified about a fire that destroyed the shop completely.

It later emerged that unknown persons had broken into the barbershop and then set it on fire, with investigators estimating the incident took place somewhere between Friday night at 10pm and Saturday morning at 8:45am.

A 36-year-old male suspect was later arrested in connection with the incident in Larnaca, police said.

Another hand grenade was also reported on Friday, with police saying they were investigating the incident that took place at a residence in Strovolos, Nicosia.

But police later stopped short of speculating whether the earlier incident could be linked to the other barbershop incidents. It was also not fully clear whether the owner of the residence had any connection with the barber trade.

According to local media, officials said an offensive hand grenade found inside the Strovolos residence had not gone off. Additional reports clarified there was no pull ring or safety pin on the unexploded device, which was destroyed by bomb squad officers in a safe manner.