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Britons switch hotels in Cyprus after claims of child abduction attempt
Britons switch hotels in Cyprus after claims of child abduction attempt
(about 1 hour later)
Around 50 British holidaymakers have been moved from their hotel in Cyprus following claims that a gang tried to snatch children from the resort.
Police in Cyprus have denied that there was an attempt to abduct children from a resort where British holidaymakers were staying.
The tour operator, Thomas Cook, moved the guests from the Anastasia Beach Complex, near Protaras, after holidaymakers called police to report the incident.
Around 50 Britons were moved from the Anastasia Beach complex, near Protaras, by Thomas Cook after an incident on Tuesday, the holiday company said. Guests were quoted by the Daily Record as saying that police had been called after three people attempted to snatch children from the hotel.
Cypriot police posted a statement on their Facebook page that said officers were called to the hotel after tourists reported that a 19-year-old man was filming children on his mobile phone.
But police spokesman Nikoletta Tyrimou told the Cyprus Mail on Thursday that the incident involved one 19-year-old man who was arrested after holidaymakers called police but later released without charge.
It said officers checked the man’s phone and found footage of adults dancing at a hotel event.
Tyrimou said: “Police officers arrested a 19-year-old man from Bulgaria who holidaymakers said had been filming their children and was trying to abduct them.
A Thomas Cook spokeswoman said the company was taking the incident “incredibly seriously”. She said she believed arrests had been made but could not comment on what they related to.
“We questioned the suspect, went through his phone and also searched his home. Nothing we found suggests that he is part of a child-abducting gang or that he was stalking children. He has since been released while police take statements from all those present at the scene.”
“The safety and welfare of our customers is always our first priority and upon hearing about the incident, we immediately deployed our experienced resort team to the property to provide those customers in residence with individual support,” she said.
The hotel operator Tsokkos also denied the claims. “According to the police investigation, the claims of child abduction are completely unjustifiable and invalid as nothing was found to suggest that the person involved intended to carry out such an act,” it said in a statement. “The 19-year-old man involved is not an employee of the hotel and is not a known person to either the management or staff.
“Customers who did not wish to stay at the property were immediately moved to alternative hotels of a similar or higher standard. While incidents of this nature are extremely rare, we would like to reassure all customers that this is being taken incredibly seriously and we are continuing to work closely with the local authorities and the hotel as the investigation continues.”
“The safety and welfare of our guests is always our first priority and upon becoming aware of the incident, we immediately increased the security personnel at the hotel as well as deploying more management members throughout the property to offer all in-house guests assistance and any other support needed.”
A UK Foreign Office spokeswoman said: “Our consular officers provided advice and support to the family involved following this concerning incident. This is now a matter for the local police, who are investigating.”
Thomas Cook earlier confirmed an incident had occurred and the Foreign Office said it was offering consular assistance.
Greg Letford, 28, who was part of a wedding party from Dundee staying at the hotel, and who has two children, told the Daily Record: “This Romanian couple were leading the two young children towards a waiting car, another person had a third child up against a wall ready to go, too.
A Thomas Cook spokeswoman said: “Customers who did not wish to stay at the property were immediately moved to alternative hotels of a similar or higher standard. While incidents of this nature are extremely rare, we would like to reassure all customers that this is being taken incredibly seriously.”
“Someone spotted what they were up to and stopped them. If he hadn’t been there those kids would have gone. One of the men got away and we heard the getaway car crashed a short distance away.”
Letford said that when the police arrived they took the suspects into the hotel, and a crowd of angry people gathered in the lobby, forcing the officers to escort the suspects through a hotel window to a waiting van.
He said a member of hotel staff told him that the couple were Romanian and that one of them used to work at the resort.
Other guests said the couple were part of a gang who had been spotted filming and taking photographs of children as they played in the pool. Some of the gang were said to have worn waiters’ outfits.
The 191-room complex, which also includes, 50 studios and apartments, is described by the tour operator as “a perfect family choice”. It urged customers concerned about future holidays to contact it directly.
