Reverse All Engines! (burp!)

reverse links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 27 January 2012)

In Bursa's Inegöl district, a driver under the influence of too much alcohol
had an incredible accident. Ibrahim Yazıcı (32) and his friend Fahrettin
Güney (34) drove to the Cerrah dam site the night before last in a
commercial vehicle and started to drink along the side of the road. The two
became thoroughly drunk and a few hours later decided to head home.
The driver of the vehicle, Yazıcı, got in the car but because he was
inebriated he selected reverse gear, hit the gas and rolled back down a
25 meter cliff.

While the car fell both Yazıcı and Güney were thrown from the car
into a canal along the riverbank but, miraculously, they survived.
As they lay injured in the canal their moans were heard by some
citizens sitting in a car on the other side of the river and the
Gendarmerie was summoned. After a rescue operation lasting more
than an hour, the two friends were taken to the hospital and treated.
Yazıcı, the driver, was found to have a promil alcohol reading of
213, while Güney's was calculated at 63 promil.

Dirt Trail Leads to Cash Box Robbers

dirt links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 27 January 2012)

Last week thieves broke open the doors of two separate food wholesalers
in the Gülbahçesi and Dumlupınar neighborhoods of Adana's Seyhan
district and stole the steel cash boxes. Police teams conducted investiga-
tions at the worksites, where the boxes containing 40,000TL, jewelry
and negotiable documents were stolen, and found dirt crumbs that came
off the shoes of the thieves. It was determined that the dirt was not from
the Çukurova region but, instead, that it was specially prepared green-
house dirt.

Based on this dirt type, teams from the Robbery Bureau began to check
flower greenhouses one by one and soon found their way to a flower
greenhouse in the area where the robbery occurred. Mehmet Acar (46),
who has a long record of robbing cash boxes, along with Yaser Çevik
(32) and Zeynel Akman (24), who also worked at the greenhouse,
were captured in an operation. In the course of a search of the greenhouse
the two cash boxes, which had been broken into pieces and buried, were
recovered.

'Schindler' Gets Religion, Relieves Himself in Istanbul

schindler links to original article

(Vatan Newspaper, 26 January 2012)

Hollywood star Liam Neeson announced that he is becoming a Muslim after
listening to the call to prayer in Istanbul. He stated that he is thinking of
abandoning the Catholic faith.

The 59 year-old actor, who came to Turkey for the filming of 'Taken 2' in
Istanbul, said that 'the call to prayer was being sung five times a day and
the first week I really went nuts. But in time a person gets accustomed to
this sound. You start to feel the call with your soul. This is one of the most
beautiful sounds.'

Neeson noted that there are 4,000 mosques in Istanbul and he told the
English tabloid The Sun that 'some of the mosques are particularly
beautiful and sometimes I even think of becoming a Muslim.' He won
one of the world's most prestigious awards for the film 'Schindler's
List' and he has also acted in science fiction movies like 'Star Wars'.
He stated that 'I worked at the side of a priest at a Catholic church in
Northern Ireland. I was raised as a strict Catholic.'

Neeson came to Istanbul last month and he came to the attention of
journalists when he was caught urinating in Asmalımescit. The
successful actor lost his wife Natasha Richardson in a skiing accident
in 2009.

Selling Stolen Goods to Victim Unwise, Thief Learns

jewels links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 25 January 2012)

On 21 January in Sefaköy Tevfikbey neighborhood of Küçükçekmece,
Istanbul, 20 year-old Yunus V. entered the home of Uygur Kurt and
stole a plasma TV in the living room and jewelry from the bedroom.
Kurt filed a complaint with the police after the robbery and then,
coincidentally, two days later Yunus V. came to the jewelry store where
Kurt works, saying that he wanted to sell some gold. Yunus V. took out
some rings and earings from his pocket but Kurt recognized that the
gold was that which had been stolen from his home.

After weighing the gold, Kurt gave Yunus V. an acceptable price but
said that he didn't have any cash on hand. On this pretext, Kurt sent
a text message to the store's owner, telling her to alert the police who
came and took Yunus V. into custody. Claiming that he hadn't entered
Kurt's home and that a person he didn't know had asked him to sell
the gold, Yunus V. was released by the court for lack of evidence.

However, Yunus V., who has a robbery record, remained in custody
because his fingerprints were matched to two indidents. Police were
also reviewing the video from the jewelry store.

Uygur Kurt who got his jewelry back, said that 'I work at the store for a
salary. A customer had come and asked for money for the rings and earings
because he was in a tight spot. I told him 'when you get some money come
again and buy them back' I kept the jewelry at my house for 3 or 4 months
and when the customer didn't come back I gave them to my wife as a gift.
On Monday another customer came and said he wanted to sell some gold.
He took a little bag from his pocket and put the gold on the counter. It
was like a dream. He put my stolen gold right in front of me. Right away
I sent a message to my boss Şahine Aldemir, telling her to call the police,
while I distracted the thief by ordering tea.'




   

Aftershock! Hookers in Tent City

tents links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 23 January 2012)

Based on complaints from earthquake victims living in tents in Van, some
foreign women were tracked. Police then caught I.G. from Azerbaijan
entering into relations with men in a tent and she was turned over to the
Foreigners Bureau for deportation. The police claim that after the earth-
quake foreign women have come to the city and they've conducted many
raids for prostitution in the past week. The number of foreign women
deported since the earthquake in Erciş has reached 55.

X-Ray Vision Out of Sight For Duped Buyers

xray glasses links to original article

(Milliyet Newspaper, 23 January 2012)

Approximately 587 people who ordered, over the internet, glasses that
promised to show others naked stated that the glasses they received were
normal or that the what they received had no relationship to the
promised item.

Among the tips sent to Istanbul police was one related to a rapidly
increasing fraud that makes one say 'enough!'. The number of people
who have reported the receipt of items that have no relationship to
the glasses purported to show others naked, which they ordered, is
growing by the day.

So far 587 people have reported the fraud to the police, either with
their real names of pseudonyms, and one victim in Diyarbakır claimed
to have paid 590TL for the glasses, whereas the lowest price paid was
given as 120TL. Only one person, E.K., has made a formal complaint
to the police, stating that he paid 150TL for the glasses purporting to
show other naked but that normal glasses, along with some tea, emerged
from the package sent to his local cargo company.

E.K.'s formal complaint has been filed with the Kadıköy Public
Prosecutor. Police have made an investigation and it has been learned
that the account numbers given in connection with the sales over the
four internet sites involved belong to third and fourth individuals.
(perhaps meaning cut-outs).

Red Riding Hood Kidnapped in Ağrı

redridinghood links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 7 January 2011)

In Cihanbey village of Eleşkirt district, Ağrı province, the wife of the
village chief has been kidnapped by wolves. According to the claim,
when 34 year-old Saniye Aytekin went outside to take laundry off the
clothesline in the garden about 2100 the night before last, she was
attacked by hungry wolves.

Villagers who found blood stains near the house, as well as hair and
clothing thought to belong to the missing woman, believe that Saniye
Aytekin was dragged up into the mountains and kidnapped by the
wolves. Teams from the Eleşkirt District Gendarmerie Command are
searching for the woman with nine tracking dogs.

When Demanding Ransom Use Another's Phone

ransom links to related article

(Posta Newspaper, 7 January 2012)

In Aksaray, Osman Altıntaş (25) who works at a cleaning firm, left his
house last Monday, saying 'I'm going to the barber shop.' According to
claims, Altıntaş wanted to go abroad for work so he called his friend
Ahmet Özan (37) and said 'I need money to go overseas. My father has
money. Call him and tell him 'I have your son and I'll kill him if you don't
give me 20,000TL' and ask for ransom.'

Özan called Altıntaş's father with this message but the father called police
who determined that the phone number used by the person demanding
the ransom belonged to Özan. Police took Özan into custody.  He
confessed to the crime and told police where to find Altıntaş who was
subsequently taken into custody. Both suspects were freed pending trial.

Hookers by Special Delivery

ambulance links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 7 January 2012)

In the Konak section of Izmir police made contact with two people who
allegedly were facilitating prostitution for money and asked them to send
women to them. When the two suspects brought the women to the address
requsted by police they were taken into custody. It was determined that
the suspects would bring their prostitutes to clients by private amublance
when traffic was heavy or to avoid being caught by police.

The two prostitutes were released, while G.Y. and B.K. were taken into
custody. It turned out that B.K. was also being sought for a sexual
attack.

Prostate Hose Has Cops Thinking 'Human Bomb'

prostate links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 5 January 2012)

In Istanbul's Taksim Square, 82 year-old Ali Dayar of Mardin got the
attention of  the police bomb squad because of a hose running down his
leg. The police searched the old man and determined that the cable-like
thing on his leg was in fact a prostate hose.

Beyoğlu police had some tense moments last night after a woman called
155 (Turkey's 911) to report seeing an elderly person in front of the
Atatürk Cultural Center (AKM) whose face was partially covered with
a scarf. The old man was displaying suspicious movements and had
cables hanging from his leg and waste, according to the woman, who
added that the man was carrying a market bag.

Thinking this could possibly be a 'human bomb' situation, police went
on alert and monitored the elderly man via MOBESE (street policing
camera system) and sent all uniformed police and plainclothesmen to
the front of the AKM. After a brief search, the police captured the
person fitting the description at the busstop.

The actual situation became clear after the police searched the man who
turned out to be an 82 year-old citizen named Ali Dayar. The thing
hanging from his pants cuff and waste was a prostate hose. Paper
and similar items were found in Dayar's bag. When asked by reporters
'why did the police nab you?' Dayar responded  'I really don't know.
They asked me 'what's this?' and I told them 'it's urine'. I've had seven
operations but it's still the same.'

Chatting Away as Phone Flies Away

chat links to original article

(Zaman Website and Posta Newspaper, 3 January 2012)

In Adana, suspects who grabbed the cellphone of a young woman while
she was chatting on it in front of a bank were captured five minutes later.
According to information, Ipek Efe (22) was talking on her cellphone in
front of a bank in the Mobılyacılar Sitesi neighborhood of Yüreğir
district when Aziz Ayçiçek (20) and Ferhat Demir (24) approached her
from behind. The suspects grabbed her phone and fled, while Efe, with
the help of citizens in the area, informed police who began a search.

About five minutes later teams from the Public Safety Pickpocket and
Fraud Bureau and the Yüreğir District Secrurity Directorate captured
two individuals fitting the descriptions of the culprits, who then
confessed and surrendered the phone to police.

Both the suspects and the young woman were brought to Köprübaşı
Police Center to give statements. Efe said that 'I was chatting when they
grabbed my phone. I didn't know what was happening. They took it
and left me aghast. I was dumbfounded. I never would have thought that
they would be caught in such a short amount of time.' It was learned
that the suspects have records for various crimes.

After 15 Heists Gas, and Luck, Runs Out

gas links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 3 January 2012)

In Istanbul, police tracked S.Ş. and E.E. who rented a luxury vehicle the
day before yesterday and cruised around, robbing 15 different stores by
cutting open the front doors with a sharp tool. The thieves escaped each
time the police got close but their vehicle's gas ran out near Beyoğlu.
When they went to a gas station to fill up the suspects noticed the police
surveilling them and fled. The car was then tracked by teams from the
Şişli and Beyoğlu District Security Directorate.

As the vehicle entered Hacı Hüsrev neighborhood from the wrong
direction police were right behind it and the suspects were trapped after
a 20-minute chase.  The two robbers were taken out of the vehicle,
spread out on the ground and taken into custody. Neighborhood
residents watched from their windows, trying to figure out what was
going on.

The suspects were brought to the Kasımpaşa Police Center where one
of them told reporters 'Are we terrorists?' while the other one
shouted 'everyone will know me!' After an investigation it was
determined that both of the robbers have long records. A search of
the vehicle turned up nothing, however.

Batman and The Case of the Fallen Finger

batman links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 3 January 2012)

In Batman, a thief who entered a store got his finger caught in the cover
of the cash box he was trying to open. The panicked robber left his cut-
off  finger in the cash box and escaped. When the store owner came in the
next morning he found the cash box open and the severed finger inside it.
The police identified the thief after taking the fingerprint from the digit
in question, whose owner, M.K., was taken into custody.

DJ's Last Song Plays Out in Çanakkale

dj links to original article

(Sabah Newspaper, 2 January 2012)

Sercan Özdemir (20), a DJ who took the stage during a street party set up
at the Harmanyeri area of Kepez town in Çanakkale, began to gather up
equipment after the show, which was viewed by 500 people. But the DJ
lost his balance around 2240 hours and fell into an area beside the stage
that was covered with a canvas. Noone noticed the incident as another
group came on stage.

This other group started to collect its own equipment after an hour-long
show entertaining the crowd. A drummer in the group noticed a foot
sticking out from under the canvas and informed the authorities. The
young man was administered to by a doctor at the show's location but
later passed away at the hospital despite all efforts to save him.

Kepez Mayor Ömer Faruk Mutan came to the area after the incident
and cancelled the show. It was determined that Özdemir had died from
a brain hemorrhage. He has been laid to rest. The 115 kilo youngster
had started a diet in order to go to do his military service.

Playdough 'Bomb' Tied to Debt Dispute

playdough links to original article

(F5Haber Website, 29 December 2011)

A 32 year-old woman, seven months pregnant, named C.Ç.D. went to the
Çınar police station in the Saraylar neighborhood of Denizli and told the
policeman at the door that she had been kidnapped by three people and a
bomb device strapped onto her.

The policeman took the woman to an empty lot next to the police station
and sought assistance from bomb-explosives experts who determined that
the device that looked like a bomb on C.Ç.D. was in fact made of
playdough, cables and LED lights. Efforts were initiated to determine the
identity of the three people whom C.Ç.D. claimed had kidnapped her.

The interesting incident occurred in front of the Çınar police station in
Saraylar neighborhood today at around 1400 hours. C.Ç.D. came up to
the policeman there and told him that she had been kidnapped from in
front of her home and then dropped off with the bomb strapped to her.
When she opened her coat the policeman saw the 'bomb' and called the
experts after taking her to the nearby lot. A security cordon was put
in place around the police station and extry-exit forbidden.

The experts, wearing protective suits, took the device off of C.Ç.D.
who was taken in handcuffs into the police station, crying all the while.
The device was determined by the experts to be composed of playdough,
cables and LED lights to give it the appearance of a bomb.

Denizli Security Chief Atilla Çınar came to the scene and stated that
the incident had no connection with terrorism. Rather, according to
Çınar, the 'bomb' was strapped onto the woman in connection with a
debt dispute. The matter is being investigated.

The local merchants were quite panicked by the incident, saying 'When
the woman came to the police station and told them she was wearing
a bomb they took her to the lot and removed it. The woman was crying
incessantly and holding her cellphone. All of us got away from the
scene. We thought it was a human bomb and we were scared.'

Police have started an investigation into the incident and are trying to
identify the three persons whom the 7-months pregnant C.Ç.D. claimed
kidnapped her. It has been learned that her father, textile businessman
I.Ç., owes money to the three. C.Ç.D. was brought out the back door of
the police station and taken to the Provincial Security Directorate.


 

Lotto Tickets Seal Dooms Impostor

lotto links to original article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 30 December 2011)

As lottery ticketseller Ahmet Şancı was heading home on Sundany night
in Bayraklı district of Izmir he was attacked from behind and the ticket
bag hanging over his shoulder was stolen. A roughed-up Şancı informed
the police who went into action by sending a team acting like ticketsellers
for the National Lottery strolling around Çankaya where such sellers
are prevalent.

One ticketseller who fit the description of the mugger caught the police's
attention. They followed Halit Babatankoz and stopped him in Basmane,
checked his tickets and noted that they bore the seal of Ahmet Şancı.
Babatankoz was identified by Şancı who was summoned to the police
station. Babatankoz's interrogation is continuing.