Would-be buyer steals car during test drive

Police are investigating an alleged auto theft incident in Larnaca following a complaint by a male vehicle owner who says he went to sell his car and ended up being assaulted and robbed.

According to police, a 24-year-old man from Nicosia was trying to sell his car worth about €25,000 to an individual he met online through the Facebook social networking site.

A meeting took place on Tuesday evening around 6:30pm with the car owner and a male friend showing up at a designated spot in Larnaca where they met with the prospective buyer, who was also accompanied by two others.

The buyer and one of his friends got into the vehicle with the seller and the three took the car for a test drive, according to the complaint.

During the test drive, the buyer drove the vehicle to an unspecified location and attacked the car owner with the help of his friend, managing several blows on the seller as well as grabbing his wallet and mobile phone.

After the ambush, the buyer and his friend drove away, leaving the man behind and injured.

A driver who was passing by took the injured man to the Emergency Room at Larnaca General Hospital, where doctors said the victim sustained light injuries in the back of his head as well as bruises in the lower back.

An official police report did not offer any information about the suspects while Knews was told at least one of them was believed to have had direct online contact with the alleged victim.

The Cyprus News Agency cited police sources saying the three suspects were thought to be Turkish Cypriots who may have fled north with the stolen vehicle.

The car owner has been released from hospital while police said their station in Oroklini was jointly investigating the case with CID Larnaca.