Delivery Riders in Cyprus: Simple Night-Time Safety Tips

Food delivery keeps a lot of our community going, from students riding after classes to workers picking up extra shifts. Most shifts pass without any trouble. Still, riders in Limassol have reported a few robberies lately, so here is a calm look at what has happened, what the authorities are doing, and some simple habits that lower the risk.

What has been reported

In the early hours of Tuesday 27 October, a 22-year-old motorcyclist delivering on 28 October Street was stopped by two men on another motorbike, who hit him and took his wallet. A night later, around 3am on Wednesday, another rider, also 22 and this time on a bicycle, was surrounded on Ayia Phylaxeos Street by four people on two motorbikes; one punched his helmet and they made off with his wallet. Police are investigating both.

These are not the first cases. Over recent months there have been similar reports, mostly in Limassol but also in Larnaca, Paphos and Nicosia. Police have made arrests in several of them: four young people were held after a rider was attacked in Yermasoyia in September, and five arrests followed attacks on riders in Paphos in August. The victims' nationalities have not been made public.

What the authorities are doing

Back in September, delivery firms sat down with Justice Minister Costas Fitiris and senior police officers to agree on faster information sharing and better prevention. In October he floated the idea of a "red button" that riders could press to alert the police straight away, which would need the companies to sign up. He said that, in his view, most of these attacks are about robbery rather than racism, noting that some independent riders carry a lot of cash.

The Commissioner for Human Rights, Maria Stylianou Lottides, has written to the police chief asking for the current measures to be properly reviewed. She also stressed that keeping riders safe is the job of the authorities and the delivery companies, not something riders should have to handle alone.

What this means for you

Carry less cash: encourage customers to pay by card or online, and hand in cash takings regularly if your company allows it.
Keep your phone secure: in one case this month, a rider's phone was snatched straight off his handlebar mount. A locking mount helps, and take the phone with you when you walk to a door.
Let things go: a wallet or phone can be replaced; you can't. Don't chase anyone. A rider who followed the thieves in October was kicked to the ground.
Late-night shifts: stick to main, well-lit roads where you can, keep your helmet on, and share your live location with a friend or flatmate.
Report every incident: call 112 in an emergency, and report to the police even if nothing was taken, because it helps them spot patterns. If you're hurt, get checked by a doctor and keep the paperwork.
Ask your company: find out what safety support and incident reporting it offers, and whether it is working with the police.
Need help as an Indian national? Our workers' rights guide lists where to turn, including the High Commission of India in Nicosia.

None of this is a reason to worry every time you set off. A few good habits go a long way, and so does looking out for each other. Ride safe.

Sources: Cyprus Mail (27 Oct), Cyprus Mail (28 Oct), Cyprus Mail (17 Oct), Cyprus Mail (red button proposal), Cyprus Mail (minister meets delivery firms), Cyprus Mail (Yermasoyia arrests), Cyprus Mail (earlier reports)