24 attacks on food delivery workers in Cyprus in first half of year – 18 arrests
Cyprus Police recorded 24 attacks against delivery workers and 18 arrests by the end of June. The motive is primarily financial, according to a police spokesperson.
Cyprus: escalation of attacks on delivery workers – police, unions and safety demands
Twenty-four attacks against food delivery workers and 18 arrests have been recorded from the beginning of 2025 to 30 June, according to figures provided by Cyprus Police. The figure already exceeds the total number of incidents for the entire 2024, not accounting for attacks in July or a recent attack in Paphos that resulted in five injuries.
As reported by Politis, Cyprus Police press spokesperson Vyronas Vyronos stated to KYPE that during 2025 a total of 23 attacks were recorded resulting in 18 arrests. "These are serious incidents. From the information we have, from the investigations we have conducted, it appears that the reason for the attacks is financial, that is, they are to steal money," Vyronos said.
He added that in some cases a possible motive by fellow countrymen of the delivery workers is being examined "for personal reasons or due to economic disputes," but he does not have specific numbers for these cases.
Geographic distribution: Limassol in the frontline
Almost half of the 2025 cases are identified in Limassol. In detail, Vyronos mentioned 13 cases in Limassol, 6 in Nicosia, 4 in Paphos and 1 in Larnaca.
Leaflet with eight safety tips and special operations
The Police has prepared a leaflet in English with eight prevention tips, which has been posted on Cyprus Police's social media and will be distributed to delivery workers via their employers in meetings to be held in the coming days.
The tips include: confirming the delivery address before arrival and telephoning to verify unusual instructions; choosing well-lit delivery points; being alert to suspicious behaviour, surveillance or approach by groups of people; avoiding carrying large sums of money and preferring electronic payments; keeping a mobile phone ready; avoiding deliveries to isolated locations; protecting vehicle and personal belongings; immediately reporting every incident to the Police. In case of immediate danger, the Police calls on delivery workers not to confront the assailants, to go to a safe public place and to call 112.
In parallel, Vyronos referred to "special operations, which are not visible to the public, so that we can detect them at an early stage," as well as police presence at locations estimated as likely incident sites. He appealed to citizens and authorities to provide the Police with any information related to the phenomenon.
Unions: safety comes through collective agreement
The issue is being monitored by unions SEK and PEO, which are expected to put forward demands for the safety of delivery workers in the framework of negotiations for the renewal of the collective agreement for the sector.
General secretary of SYCKA-PEO Neophytos Timinis spoke of an upward trend and disputed the one-dimensional interpretation of attacks as purely robbery-related. "It is part of the increase in xenophobia that exists in our society. Robbery is a pretext," he said. He stated that through the renewal of the collective agreement, requests have been submitted for greater transparency in the algorithm for assigning deliveries, so that trade union organisations can identify factors connected to violent incidents.
Among PEO's demands is the replacement of work tools – vehicle, mobile phone, personal protective equipment – in case of attack or accident during work.
General secretary of OMEPEGE–SEK Charalampos Avgousti said that within the first ten days of September a meeting is expected with the Department of Labour Relations, which will formally open the contract renewal process. Employee safety issues will be included in the demands. Avgousti reminded that in the past meetings had been held with the Ministry of Transport and the Ministry of Labour, in the framework of which a danger alert system had been proposed. "We put some ideas on the table. The truth is that several of them were not implemented," he concluded.
Source: Politis