The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Tayside family’s holiday horror in Cyprus.
Foreign gang attempts to steal British children at hotel
A Dundee father-of-two has spoken of his horror as a criminal gang attempted to abduct British children from his hotel in Cyprus.
As many as eight Eastern European men and women are believed to have been involved in the incident, which saw them attempt to lead three children away.
The man was in the popular resort of Protaras with his wife and children as part of 20-strong group that had travelled for a wedding when the shocking incident took place.
“There was clearly a detailed plan to abduct these children and it is incredibly lucky that it was stopped,” he said.
“Had we not seen what we have, it would be difficult to believe that it had actually taken place.”
The father said holidaymakers had abandoned the Anastasia Beach Hotel in their droves after the incident, while others had secured immediate flights home.
It is understood the gang may have spent hours stalking the grounds of the holiday complex before selecting their targets. They were stopped in their efforts to smuggle the children into a waiting pick-up truck after one eagleeyed holidaymaker spotted the men trying to exit the hotel with the youngsters.
Mothers and fathers then took matters into their own hands and restrained the men, though the accomplices sped off down the strip.
As police officers rushed to the hotel, holidaymakers seized a mobile phone from one of the men and discovered hundreds of pictures of children.
Two of the criminals were apparently masquerading as hotel staff, having disguised themselves as a waiter and barman in an effort to allay suspicion.
Speaking to The Courier in the aftermath of the incident this week, he said the attempted abduction had left holidaymakers terrified.
He said there had been pandemonium at the hotel, with parents attempting to get to the criminals, who had to be barricaded in an office by Cypriot police officers.
Sources in Cyprus said a 19-year-old Bulgarian had been arrested, apparently in connection with filming children.
“It was terrifying,” the Dundonian man told The Courier.
“One guy was walking towards a pick-up truck on the main road with two of the children where a woman was waiting, while another guy had hold of a third child.
“Had an Irish man not spotted what was happening and intervened, then the children would have been taken.”
He added: “Where yesterday there were children in the pool and in play areas, the resort today is almost deserted – there’s not a single unaccompanied child anywhere.”
He added that he was thankful to holiday operator Thomas Cook for swiftly providing alternative hotel accommodation elsewhere on the island to families.
There was clearly a detailed plan to abduct these children. It is incredibly lucky that it was stopped ...