One arrested after violent attack on delivery riders in Paphos

On the night of Tuesday, August 18, 2026, a violent incident occurred in the Mouttalos area of Paphos, resulting in the hospitalization of five food delivery riders. The altercation began around 8:40 p.m. when a 26-year-old rider was attacked by a group of four individuals who refused to pay for a food order and threw a stone at him. As colleagues arrived to assist, they were confronted by a larger group of approximately ten men, some wielding metal objects. The attackers caused damage to the delivery motorcycles, and in a subsequent incident, a 22-year-old driver was robbed of 300 euros and his mobile phone by a subset of the group.

Police investigations are ongoing, utilizing video footage from the scene and local CCTV. A 35-year-old Greek Cypriot man has been arrested in connection with the crimes, which are being investigated as robbery, assault causing actual bodily harm, rioting, and illegal possession of offensive weapons. On August 20, the Paphos District Court ordered the suspect to be held in custody for eight days as authorities continue to search for additional suspects involved in the coordinated attack. Similar incidents involving delivery workers have been reported in the past, including an event on May 10.