Crime in Cyprus fell slightly in the first six months of the year compared with the same period last year, it has been reported.
The newspaper Fileleftheros said murders and cases of arson had declined, while attempted murder and fraud offences had risen.
According to the report, the highest number of serious crimes in the first half of the year was recorded in Limassol, with 826 cases.
Limassol was followed by Nicosia with 691, Larnaca with 542, Paphos with 463, and the Famagusta district with 354.
The most commonly recorded offences across the districts were drug-related crimes and theft or robbery, while murder, attempted murder, arson and bombing were noted as the more serious categories.
The first half of the year saw 573 drug offences, 11 attempted murders, 23 rapes, 84 cases of arson and 64 thefts recorded; 16 arson cases were also cited separately in the report.
171 driving licences confiscated
Separately, the newspaper Alithia reported that 171 people have had their driving licences confiscated since a regulation granting police the power to do so came into force on 6 April.
According to the report, police directly confiscated 171 licences between 6 April and 8 August. Of these, 12 cases involved drink-driving, while the remainder related to driving under the influence of drugs, refusal to comply with police instructions, and missing documentation.
