Two Iranian suspects who allegedly stole their victims' money by introducing themselves as police officers were caught in Istanbul.
On Nov. 17, 2022, in Istanbul's Ziya Gökalp District in Zeytinburnu, a Tajikistani national, U.K., lodged a complaint with police that two people who introduced themselves as police officers stopped him for "checking" and stole $3,700 from his wallet. A similar complaint was received by Ukrainian national H.A. on Nov. 22, 2022, that $10,000 was stolen from him with the same method.
In an investigation carried out by Police Theft Bureau teams, it was found that the same suspects were responsible for both incidents. Security cameras captured the suspects throughout the incident, by immediately recognizing the car's number plate. Esmail B. (43) and Kyamars P.K. (54), two Iranian suspects, were apprehended during an operation the day before. The operation also resulted in the seizure of a luxury vehicle driven by the suspects with a stolen number plate. Esmail B., one of the suspects questioned in the Public Security Branch Directorate, had been found to have four prior arrests. The suspects, whose procedures were completed by the police, were referred to the courthouse.