ISTANBUL (AA) – Two suspects who carried out snatching incidents on motorbikes in Fatih, Istanbul, have been arrested following a drone-supported operation. The suspects, identified as D.M. (25) and Ö.N.A. (21), were later remanded in custody by judicial authorities.
Police Launch Investigation into Snatching Incidents
The Istanbul Police Department initiated an investigation after receiving reports of snatching incidents in Akşemsettin on June 2 and in Mesihpaşa on June 10. The police teams determined that two suspects on a motorbike had stolen bags from pedestrians and fled the scene.
Further investigation revealed that the suspects parked their motorbike on a street in the Hacı Hüsrev neighborhood of Beyoğlu after the incidents. Utilizing drone-supported technical surveillance and monitoring activities, police identified and apprehended D.M. and Ö.N.A. when they returned to retrieve the motorbike, as their descriptions matched those of the suspects.
Stolen Items and Contraband Recovered
During searches conducted on the suspects and the motorbike, three mobile phones, confirmed to have been stolen from Beşiktaş, Eyüpsultan, and Şişli, were recovered. At the suspects’ residences, authorities found hats, masks, and gloves believed to have been used during the crimes. Additionally, numerous passports and identity cards, an unlicensed handgun, 10 bullets, and 107 drug pills were discovered.
The police established that the suspects were responsible for six snatching incidents across four districts, including Fatih and three other areas within Istanbul.
Suspects Remanded in Custody
Following the completion of their procedures at the police station, the two suspects were referred to judicial authorities, who subsequently ordered their arrest. The investigation into the incidents is ongoing.
