Serious crime in Cyprus rose by nearly 28 percent in the first half of 2026

Official data presented to the Cypriot Parliament reveals a 27.8% increase in serious crime, rising from 454 to 580 cases in one year, while the clearance rate dropped from 85% to 78%. Nikos Loizidis, president of the Isotita police branch, attributed these failures to severe understaffing and the exhaustion of frontline officers.