Two men aged 54 and 37 were remanded by the Paphos court on Thursday for four days on suspicion of stealing a 70kg bronze statue worth €10,000 from a public place.

A 43-year-old woman is also wanted in connection with the theft of the artwork in the early hours of Saturday.

The pair were arrested on Wednesday, one at around 5pm and the other at 11pm.

Police released a 33-year-old woman they had arrested earlier in connection with the case when it became clear she had nothing to do with the theft even though she spent two days in custody.

The ‘girl with the hula hoop’, by artist Iota Ioannidou had been installed at the Hani tou Ibrahim since last autumn. It was the artist’s four sculpture to be installed in the town.

The court heard on Thursday that CCTV footage showed the statue being hauled away and a motorcycle in the area coming and going as if on the lookout. Police investigators told the court that the 54-year-old suspect confessed but the second man denies any involvement.

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