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A suspect who broke into a jewelry shop using a forklift and fled the scene on a donkey has been arrested in central Türkiye, police said.
The incident took place on Feb. 9 in Kayseri’s Ildem Cumhuriyet neighborhood, where the 26-year-old suspect, identified as M.C., allegedly stole 150 grams of gold after smashing the shop’s shutters and windows.
Security footage showed the masked suspect using a forklift to force open the metal shutters of the jewelry store before entering and taking gold items from a display case. The footage later showed him fleeing the area on a donkey.
Police identified the suspect through security camera footage and arrested him shortly after the incident. A court later ordered his detention.
Authorities recovered the stolen gold from a hiding place and returned it to the shop owner.
In his statement to police, the suspect admitted he was the masked person seen in the security footage.
He told investigators he left home that night, saying he would travel to Mersin and ride his donkey toward the Ildem area. He said he had been drinking and wanted to buy more alcohol but could not find an open liquor store.
The suspect stated that he then noticed a forklift parked near a workplace and saw exposed wires near the steering column. He said he started the vehicle by connecting the wires.
“I started the forklift to drive around and go to another liquor shop,” he told police.
He said he later saw the jewelry store and thought about his financial difficulties.
“I came in front of the jeweler and lifted the shutters with the forklift,” he said. “Because it was dark inside, I first went to the display and took the gold, whose type and amount I did not know.”
He told officers he placed the jewelry in his pocket and left the scene on foot before returning to a stream where he mounted his donkey and went back to a barn belonging to his family.
According to his statement, he hid the gold in a bag under a mud brick near the entrance of the hay storage area.
“I committed this crime due to financial need,” he said, adding that he did not move the stolen items after hiding them.
Security camera recordings documented several stages of the incident:
Police later located the hidden jewelry, which included rings, necklaces, and earrings.
Investigators from the Kayseri Provincial Police Department’s Public Order Branch identified the suspect through fieldwork and camera analysis. After questioning, authorities referred him to court, where a judge ordered his arrest.
The case drew attention due to the unusual method of escape, but officials confirmed the investigation followed standard procedures and the stolen property was recovered.
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