Khaberni - The Turkish judiciary revealed a theft incident that shook the Pelikjikmeh court in Istanbul, after an employee working in the security office stole a large amount of gold and silver before fleeing the country with his family.
The investigations confirmed that the employee, Erdal Temirtash, who has a permanent position in the security department of the court, stole about 25 kilograms of gold and 50 kilograms of silver, valued at approximately 147 million Turkish Lira.
The investigations showed that the employee transferred the gold from the court's vault in one go using a metal shopping cart, which contained various forms of gold including bracelets, necklaces, bars, as well as various gold coins.
The prosecutor of the Pelikjikmeh office stated that the accused left the court with his cart full of gold and silver but later returned to the court empty-handed, while the safes were unlocked with their key and their contents emptied.
The messages sent by Temirtash via WhatsApp to his friends before fleeing stated: "I have sold the goods, and may God grant you what you wish."
The public prosecutor explained that suspicions began after Temirtash's prolonged absence from work, prompting the legal officer in the office to inspect the safes and verify their contents, discovering the loss of gold and silver.
The investigations indicated that the accused left Turkey on November 19 of the last year with his wife and children through Sabiha Gökçen Airport in Istanbul headed to the United Kingdom.
The Turkish authorities continue their investigations to determine responsibilities and pursue the accused, as the incident is considered one of the largest financial thefts inside Turkish courts in recent years.
