Istanbul police‑impersonation scam nets three arrests

Turkish police arrested three suspects after they tricked a 79‑year‑old woman in Istanbul’s Eyüpsultan district out of gold, foreign currency and other valuables. The suspects called the victim repeatedly on June 17, claiming there was a complaint against her, and convinced her to hand over the items from her home safe on June 18. One suspect later entered her home at night, counted the gold and cash, and took them to a jeweller, where the gold was exchanged for US dollars. The perpetrators reported earning a $1,000 commission and used the money to purchase a television. Police opened the investigation on June 19 following the victim’s complaint, and the three men were detained and subsequently ordered into custody by a judge.

The operation was coordinated by the Istanbul Police Department’s Public Order Branch and its Fraud Investigation Unit, which traced the phone calls, identified the suspects and recovered the stolen items before the arrests.