Lovestruck Guys Bilked by Pretty Young Things

swindle links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 29 September 2011)

A five-person gang that bilked 50 people in 20 provinces with promises of
marriage, much like the film 'Hokkabaz' (Swindler), has been broken. The
film, in which Cem Yılmaz played the lead role, became real in Adana. As
in the film, the gang hoodwinked elderly, rich and naive men, in particular,
with marriage promises. Adana Gendarmerie teams broke the gang with an
operation carried out in 20 provinces. It is claimed that the five gang
members, including the leader and three women, used this method to get
50 people in 20 provinces to buy them 200,000TL worth of gold before
the weddings and then absconded.

Gang leader Şahan Kuşçu used 'bride candidate' Tuğba Çelik (20) as bait.
Both were arrested in Adana. The young woman would live with the dupes
who fell in love with her for a time to gain their confidence. She then had
them buy her large amounts of jewelry and when the man was out of the
house she would steal his things and flee. It has been learned that gang
leader Kuşçu sometime used his own wife, Latife Kuşçu, as a 'bride
candidate.'

One of the elderly men defrauded in the scheme said in his statement that
'she took three thousand lira from me but the girl was really beautiful. I
don't care about the money I lost. She was worth it.' Another elderly man
in Uşak who was bilked by the gang had a heart attack and died when he
realized what had happened. The suspects, who rejected the accusations,
were transported to court.

Dad's Progeny: Immaculate Conceptions

father links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 27 September 2011)

Murat Koparan (32), who works as a cook in a restaurant in Ankara,
married waitress Vahide Koparan (28) in 2006. One week after the
wedding Koparan learned that his wife was 2.5 months pregnant with the
child of her former boyfriend. He decided to break up with her, filed for
divorce and began living separately. At this point, Vahide Koparan
disappeared. When the court couldn't track her down the divorce case
was dismissed.

Koparan happened to go to the Population Directorate where he learned
that he has four children from Vahide Koparan. He said 'she had other
children with someone else but since on paper we're still married it appears
that the children are mine. I'm afraid to go to the Population Directorate
anymore. Two years ago I found out that I supposedly have two children.
Last week I went to check again and there were two more children listed
to me. Every time I go I'm finding that I have more children. I'm
embarrassed in front of the family of my girlfriend, whom I'm thinking of
marrying.  I've opened a new divorce case and I'm hopeful.'

Istanbul Pines But We'll Always Have Paris

elevator links to original article

//ed. note: what follows is a compilation, for the historic record, of the recent
visit to Istanbul by Her Divaship Paris Hilton//

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 26 September 2011)

Paris Hilton, who came to Istanbul to introduce her shoe collection,
participated in a related event at the Istinye Park shopping center last week.
Her bodyguards had her ride in an elevator used by the various stores
to move their goods but this enraged Hilton. The young lady said that the
elevator's smell was terrible and she scolded her bodyguards, saying 'never
have me ride this elevator again! It smells horrible!'

(Sözcü Newspaper, 26 September 2011)

Paris Hilton has left Istanbul but the effects she left in her wake linger on.
It turns out that when Hilton felt the call of nature she summarily cut short
an event she was participating in at the Istinye Park shopping center. Hilton
was immediately brought to a ladies room on the middle floor of shopping
center but she didn't approve and was taken instead to one on the top
floor. Her bodyguards waited at the door and didn't allow anyone else in
until Hilton had come out.

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 24 September 2011)

Paris Hilton, who came to Istanbul to introduce her new shoe line, has departed
the country. Paris participated in a photo session for the shoes she designed
yesterday and said goodbye to each of staff of the hotel where she stayed. But
Paris was bored by the heavy traffic last evening while going from her hotel in
Ortaköy to the airport at Yeşilköy so she got a pillow and blanket from her
bodyguards' car and went to sleep.

When Paris saw journalists upon her arrival at Atatürk Airport she spent 20
minutes freshening up her make-up before getting out of the vehicle. Paris's
loveable attitude was apparent as she took pictures of the journalists who
were taking her picture, using her Swarovski-bejeweled cell phone.

Make-believe Baby and 'Mother's' Foiled Plan

make-believe links to related article

(Posta Newspaper, 23 September 2011)

Fatma Yiğit (26), who lives in Bursa, married Abdullah Yiğit (28), a worker
in a factory, six years ago. When Fatma didn't get pregnant during the first
months of the marriage she started to get treatment but as the years passed
there was no result. Fatma was upset that they couldn't have a child but she
was also afraid that her husband would leave her because she couldn't get
pregnant. After five years of treatment with any success, she thought about
getting pregnant by the tube method.

But they couldn't come up with the money needed for the tube method and,
according to Fatma, there was nothing else she could do so Fatma lied
because she thought that her husband would divorce her and marry another
women in order to have a child. She told her husband the 'good news' that
she was 'pregnant' and kept up the ruse for nine months. Abdullah was
quite pleased by this news even though there was no indication of pregnancy
on Fatma's body. Fatma explained to her husband that on some women
their stomachs don't get bigger during pregnancy. 

The day before yesterday Fatma said that the birth was approaching and
she went with her husband to the maternity hospital. While Abdullah was
parking the car, Fatma went into the hospital and emerged sometime later
saying that she had given birth. According to her new lie, Fatma said that
because of their baby boy's complications he had been taken by ambulance
to the children's hospital, while she had been discharged. When they reached
home a woman who called Abdullah told him that their baby would be
transported to a hospital in Ankara.

Abdullah became quite excited by this telephone call, whereas Fatma cried
out in panic that their child had been kidnapped. Abdullah immediately filed
criminal charges against the hospital officials but when Fatma was questioned
by police her contradictory statements led police to figure out what had
happened. Fatma admitted the truth, saying 'my ruse has been uncovered.
I love my husband very much and I lied so as not to lose him.' After being
charged with 'reporting a false crime', Fatma was released and returned
home with her husband, who forgave her.
 
.

Drink Beer, Shoot Rifle, Pass Out

drunk links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 22 September 2011)

Last night at 1230 AM, worker M.B. (47), who had been sitting on the
balcony of his stand-alone house on 7223 street in the Emek neighborhood
of Gümüşpala drinking beer for some period of time, went inside and got a
hunting rifle. When he reemerged on the balcony M.B. began radomly
shooting all over the place. The neighbors became frightened when buckshot
hit their homes and called the police. M.B. fired at the police when they
arrived.

A large number of uniformed and plainclothes policemen were sent to the
scene and established security. At this time M.B. passed out and police
entered his home, took the rifle and M.B. was transported by ambulance
to Karşıyaka State Hospital. After M.B. had been brought under control
the neighborhood residents related how scared they were and the terror-
filled moments they experienced. M.B.'s father A.B. (78) suffered a
heart attack and was cared for by police.

After being treated M.B. was taken to the Gümüşpala Police Station
and booked for 'opening fire in a residential neighborhood and causing
fear and panic.'  In his statement M.B. explained that 'I'd been sitting on
the balcony for a while drinking beer. I started thinking about an argument
I'd had with my wife and I got upset. So I started shooting.' Upon the
instructions of the acting public prosecutor M.B. was released.



 

Living Dead Have Hope in Malatya

morgue links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 21 September 2011)

The morgue established within the purview of the Malatya Municipal
Cemetery Directorate has been set up with consideration for bodies put
inside that are thought to be dead (ed. note: but may not be!)so that there is
an alarm system and the compartment can be opened from the inside.
Director Akif Kayadurmuş provided information about the 36-body capacity
morgue that will open in the coming days, along with six body-cleaning
facilities. He stated that the center has been designed with careful attention to
each section, from revolving coffin stones to the waiting rooms, noting that a
great many new features have been added.

Kayadurmuş explained that 'information about the names of the bodies,
where they're located and the latest status is continually displayed on
screens in the waiting room. There is also an information desk and a
cafeteria within the center. Every detail has been considered for our center
and care shown for the comfort of the bodies and their relatives.'
 

Extreme Folk Dancing

folk dancing links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 19 September 2011)

The Turkey-wide Interclub Youth Folk Dancing Championship, which was
held in Malatya and sponsored by the Folk Dancing Federation, the Malatya
municipality and Inönü University, awarded its prizes the night before last.
However, the Bitlis Five Minaret Folk Dancing team felt that it had not been
given enough points and attacked the jury and those seated in the protocol
rows.

Police teams intervened in the brawl and restrained the angry dancers by
spraying pepper gas. Five people were injured during the fighting and taken
to the hospital. Once order was restored the award ceremony continued.
Kırklareli Anatolia High School Sports Club took first place in Turkey's
Folk Dancing Youth Championship, while the Nilüfer Municipal Sports
Club was second and Kocaeli Sports Club third.

Banana Bandit Sheds Light on His Robbery

banana links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 19 September 2011)

In Zonguldak, Eşref B. entered a one-story fruit and vegetable shop through
a rooftop hole and was caught on the security camera. The suspect headed
toward the cash register in the dark but when he had trouble finding the
money he turned on the light. Eşref B.'s relaxed attitude was evident as he
took hold of the money in the register and a box. But while eating a
banana he took from the shelf Eşref B. noticed the security camera, turned
off the light and fled.

Workers who came to the store in the morning called police who looked
at the security camera images. They deterimed that it was Eşref B. who has
a long record of robberies. He was taken into custody but released.
Eşref B. is said to have psychological problems.

Half-Naked Aggression by Shoe Thieves

naked links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 17 September 2011)

In Erzurum's Palandöken district ten women accused of stealing shoes from
in front of people's homes by entering the TOKI residences, which include
a police lodging, were followed closely by police units. Yesterday, when the
women were confronted by police and journalists in Topcuoğlu Neighborhood
they began angrily throwing rocks and their shoes. The police unsheathed their
nightsticks and warned the women that 'if you don't stop throwing those
things we're coming after you!'

One of the women, realizing that she was going to be arrested, took off her
clothes and even pulled her pants down as a protest against the police.
Shopkeepers who were watching the incident chastised the half-naked
woman. She was then forced to put her clothes back on and along with
her cohorts was loaded into police vehicles and taken to the police station.
The women returned the items and shoes they had stolen and were released.

Slick Heist Plan Nets Guard Two Million Dollars

heist links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 8 September 2011)

Selahattin Aktürk (26), who works as a security guard at a bank in Bağlar
district of Diyarbakır province, set out yesterday at 1030 in the morning to
take nearly 4 million dollars in two bags to the Istanbul-bound plane. But
on the way to the airport Aktürk allegedly forced his unnamed partner, the
driver of the armored car belonging to the bank, bearing plate number
34 ZM 3139, to stop the vehicle on Şeyhşamil Mahallesi Cengizler
Boulevard by threatening him with a gun.

Aktürk made his partner get out of the vehicle, which he had stopped at
gunpoint on a street where there were no security or MOBESE cameras,
tied his arms and feet and locked him in the trunk. Aktürk then turned up
the sound of the music playing in the vehicle to the maximum so that his
partner's cries could not be heard. He then took one of the bags holding
the 4 million dollars they were taking to the airport for the Istanbul plane
and absconded with one bag filled with 2 million dollars.

When local residents complained to police about the loud music the police
arrived and determined that the vehicle's doors were locked and that
someone was in the trunk. The unnamed security guard was freed from
the locked trunk and related the story of the heist. The police found one
bag with 2 million dollars in the vehicle and began an operation to capture
Aktürk who took the other 2 million dollar-filled bag and escaped. Aktürk,
who accomplished the robbery with his incredible plan, had worked at the
bank for one year as a security guard. He is now being sought everywhere.

Daddy-Daughter Friction Proves Fatal for Dad

daughters links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper and DHA News Agency, 9 September 2011)

The suspects in the murder of musician Mustafa Ural, who was found dead
in July by a gunshot to the head in his office in Gaziantep, turned out to be
his daughters. Mustafa Ural worked as a vocalist for artists like Sezen Aksu,
Sibel Can, Edip Akbayram and Suna Yıldızoğlu. The contradictory
statements given by his daughters, Müge Hatice Ural and Orkide Gamze
Kapkın, led police to deepen their investigation, during which traces of
gunpowder were found on Müge Hatice Ural's hand.

Police then took Müge Hatice Ural (28), Orkide Gamze Kapkın (30) and
her boyfriend Murat Çam (33) into custody. In a search of Çam's home
empty cartridges that were suitable for use in the gun used in the crime were
found.  It is thought that Mustafa Ural was killed because of problems he
had with his daughter Orkide Gamze Kapkın and that Müge Hatice Ural's
hand picked up the gunpowder when she hid the murder weapon.  The
three suspects were arrested by the on-duty court.

Turkish Magic Carpet for U.S.-bound Rhinos

rhinos links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 9 September 2011)

Turkish Airlines (THY) has carried rhinoceroses for the first time in its history.
The transport of the rhinoceroses was accomplished aboard Boeing-777 and
Airbus-330 type aircraft via the Johannesburg-Istanbul-New York route.
THY has shared all the details and photographs of the rhinoceroses'
interesting journey on its Facebook page.

Prior to departing from Johannesburg, the six rhinos were sedated by their
handlers, using the requisite medicines. They were loaded onto the aircraft
in containers prepared in accordance with conditions established by IATA
and CITES. The six rhinos will live in a secure fashion in three different zoos
in America and they all reached their destinations in fine health.

From Chile to Istanbul to Pick Pockets

chile links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 7 September 2011)

A Chilean, 74 year-old Victor Manuel Pezoa Barrera, was apprehended
when he attracted the attention of  special security teams while picking
pockets on the tramway in Istanbul. The teams began their operations as
thievery has increased on the Kabataş-Zeytinburnu tramway line and
Pezoa Barrera's actions caused suspicion. The teams surveilled the elderly
man and caught him picking a pocket at Zeytinburnu. It was determined
that the suspect had made secret compartments in his belt and hid the
money he stole there. A search of the suspect turned up 300 Euros,
340TL, three cellphones - one of them an Iphone, and two cameras.

details links to follow-up article

(Sabah Newspaper, 9 September 2011)

Chilean Victor Manuel Pezoa Barrera confessed that he robbed a large
number of people, including tourists, while touring Istanbul. The Chilean
pickpocket claimed in his statement to police to be a 'kleptomaniac',
saying that 'I like Istanbul. I toured and I robbed. Actually I don't need
to but I have an illness.' Cameras, cellphones and wallets were found in
a suitcase in the hotel where Barrera was staying in Aksaray.

He gave his statement at the police station with the help of a certified
Spanish translator, explaining that 'since I was planning to leave Istanbul
in two days I wanted to tour around one more time. I got caught just at
the moment I was focusing on grabbing someone's money. The previous
day I had picked the pocket of a tourist with the same technique.'

A worker at the hotel where Barrera stayed said that 'he was clean-shaven
and well dressed each day.' Following processing at the police station
Barrera will be taken to court to be arraigned for three separate robbery
charges and for attempting to bribe a police officer. The Chilean thief will
then be sent back to his country.

Policeman Hasan Y. caught Berrara in the act the day before yesterday.
He stated that 'I caught him taking 40TL from a citizen's pocket. Those
who saw me trying to take him under control started to cry out 'what do
you want from that old man?!'  When he realized that he couldn't get
away he offered me a 300TL bribe which I didn't accept. I was surprised
when I heard that he was from Chile.'

One Beer Too Many

beer links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 7 September 2011)

In the Esat neighborhood of Çankaya district, Ankara, three friends were
playing a board game of okey. One of them, Yalçın Göz Olcay D., went
to the rest room and noticed upon his return that his beer had been finished
off. He argued with his friends, demanding to know 'how could you drink my
beer!?' In response, he was told 'what's the big deal? I found half a glass of
beer and I drank it.'  The resulting dispute ended when Yalçın Göz Olcay
was stabbed twice in the stomach and died.

Cellar Dig for Treasure All for Naught

treasure links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 5 September 2011)

In Fatih district four treasure hunters excavated the cellar of an apartment
building in search of an urban legend - 'an Armenian woman who had a
shop at the Covered Bazar buried her gold here.' Among those taken into
custody in connection with the incident was the apartment owner.

The legend of the Armenian woman who buried her gold has spread from
ear to ear in Yedikule neighborhood and prompted four treasure hunters to
open a 20-meter hole in the basement of an apartment. The cellar floor of
the four story apartment building at 27 Imam Hüseyin Street was rented by
two people for 400TL three months ago. Four treasure hunters then cut
into the floor and started to fill bags full of dirt. They advanced their excavation
about 20 meters but when they realized that they wouldn't find anything they
said 'we're not comfortable in the basement so we're turning it over to our
relatives' and vacated.

However, on 29 August noises once again started coming from the house
and police were called to the scene. The treasure hunters were caught in the
hole. House owner Sami Önal, his father Zeki Önal and one of the renters,
Ömer Kaya, were subsequently released by the court on duty. The lawyer
for the other apartment dwellers, Metin Erkan, said they wanted the house
returned to its previous state. He expained that 'this has been talked about
for ages here, that an Armenian woman lived here. Supposedly she returned
and told the people living here that 'I buried something for safekeeping here.'
That's probably why we've suffered this incident. They dug 20 meters. Above
there are eight apartments. The welfare of those living here was never
considered. We're frightened to live here. The dug into the ground to the
water level. It was like the first part of a horror film.They dug this much but
we didn't hear a thing. A very professional job.'

Nusret Açan, who sells pickles in the neighborhood, said that they live in
Istanbul's oldest area so it's normal for such gossip to float around. She
added 'but Greeks lived here, not Armenians.We're having a good laugh
about this, wondering where we should dig next.' Nadır Kıpçak, who has
been a barber in the neighborhood for 40 years, stated after the incident
that urban legends are talked about in the coffee houses, 'everyone repeats
what's been heard here and there. An Armenian woman was mentioned.
She supposedly had a shop at the Covered Bazar and buried her gold here.
But the building is only 50 years old so if there were any gold it would have
been found when the building was being built.'

Fatal Distraction: Blondes

blondes links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 4 September 2011)

Businessman Ali Küçükoğlu was spending time with family and friends while
anchored off Heybeli Island when he fell victim to a murder-like accident.
The businessman lost his life when his craft was hit from behind at high speed
by a speedboat.

Mechanical engineer and businessman Ali Küçükoğlu (54) set out into the
Sea of Marmara with his wife, two daughters and family friends Saadet and
Abdurrahman Özbağrıaçık aboard the boat 'Mistral Wilmington', which he
had purchased 20 days ago, for a celebration. After touring around the water
for a while the businessman and his companions anchored the boat at
Çamlimanı off Heybeli.

Following lunch, the women and two children went to the front of the boat to
sun themselves while Küçükoğlu and Özbağrıaçık sat in the rear and began
to chat. At this moment a speedboat driven by textile businessman Ilker
Yiğit Hepkeskin (38), who had been touring around with two Ukranian girls,
hit Küçükoğlu's boat anchored in the bay. Özbağrıaçık saw the speedboat
racing toward them and jumped in the water to save himself. But Küçükoğlu,
covered in blood, collapsed on the boat.

A Coast Guard team arrived on the scene and brought Küçükoğlu to shore
but despite all efforts he could not be saved. His funeral was held at the
Divinity Faculty Mosque at Marmara University, after which he was buried
at Ulus Cemetary.

Özbağrıaçık said that 'claims that Ali died from a heart attach are untrue.
There were two cuts and bruises on Alı's back.' Ilker Yiğit, who caused the
accident, was brought to court and arrested. In his statement to the
prosecutor Hepkeskin explained that 'the speedboat's gas pedal got stuck.
When the girls panicked I was trying to calm them and then we hit the boat.'