Appeals court confirms conviction of landlord for burglary and theft

The Cyprus Court of Appeal has upheld the conviction of a property owner for burglary and the theft of nightclub equipment, rejecting all grounds of appeal presented by the defendant. The incident occurred in January 2019, when the landlord broke into a building he owned, which was then under lease to a third party, and seized equipment from the premises.

While the original indictment claimed the value of the stolen items was €132,700, the Larnaca District Court limited the proven damages to €2,850. The defendant faced additional charges of obtaining money under false pretenses for allegedly selling stolen items to two individuals for €700 and €1,650, but he was acquitted of these fraud counts due to insufficient evidence. The appellant admitted to changing the locks and selling the equipment, claiming his actions were a response to unpaid rent and a belief that the lease had terminated. The court rejected these arguments, confirming the original conviction.

This ruling marks the conclusion of the appeal process regarding the incidents that began seven years ago. No further details regarding potential sentencing or subsequent actions were provided by the sources.