Gold and Cash Worth 20 Million TL Stolen, Five Arrested

D.D., A.S., B.N., H.Ç. and F.B., who were arrested on suspicion of theft by an employee in Nicosia, appeared before the court.

Police officer Ahmet Sinanoğlu testified in court and outlined the facts of the case.

Sinanoğlu said that on November 2, 2026, at around 6pm, a woman identified as B.K., who worked at a jewellery shop on Gazeteci Kemal Aşık Street in Nicosia, stole valuables from the business by placing them in a bag in her possession and leaving the premises.

The stolen items included 200 quarter gold coins worth a total of 2 million TL, £10,000, US$500 and 100,000 TL in cash, all kept in the shop’s safe. She also took approximately one kilogram of 22-carat jewellery sets worth 6 million TL, which had been transferred from the display window to the safe, as well as approximately two kilograms of 14-carat jewellery sets worth 12 million TL.

Police said an examination of security camera footage revealed that B.K. handed the bag to a man who approached her at the airport before travelling abroad.

Sinanoğlu said an arrest warrant had been issued for B.K. An examination of the registration number of the vehicle used by the man who met her revealed that it belonged to suspect D.D. Police subsequently determined that D.D. was at a café in Nicosia that same day.

When officers arrived at the café, they found all five suspects sitting at the same table. Police said suspect A.S. threw a gold pouch belonging to the jewellery shop under the table upon seeing the officers.

A search of the pouch revealed 17 gold rings, five full gold coins, 23 quarter gold coins, 11 gold bracelets, six gold necklaces, six gold pendants, one pair of gold earrings and one Republic gold coin. All were seized as evidence.

Police said the five suspects were arrested and an investigation was launched. They added that suspect F.B. had given a statement, in which he claimed that A.S. had planned the robbery and that he had received the pouch thrown under the table from A.S.

Police further stated that F.B. said A.S. had shown the pouch containing the stolen gold to B.N. and H.Ç.

A search conducted in F.B.’s hotel room under a court warrant led to the discovery of the bag used in the incident, which was also seized as evidence. Police said the suspects had not given statements regarding the missing evidence.

Stating that the investigation was ongoing and further statements needed to be taken, police requested an additional two days of detention.

Hüseyin Koralp, lawyer for suspect B.N., questioned the police, arguing that his client had not stolen the gold and that the theft had been committed by B.K.

Police responded that B.N. had so far been arrested solely on the basis of F.B.’s statement that he knew about the gold, adding that the investigation was continuing.

After assessing the testimony presented, Judge Gizem Erciyas ordered that the five suspects be remanded in custody for an initial period of two days.