"Beat & Release": Teenage Extortionist Flees on Metrobus After Firing on Hotels, in Istanbul

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 6 April 2024)

       Racing to get back home in time to get to school.

In the Cihangir neighborhood of Istanbul's Avcılar district at

about 4 o'clock Thursday morning, an individual demanded 

protection money from two hotels.  When he was rebuffed, he

fired on both hotels with an automatic revolver.

Police reviewed security camera footage and saw that the 

culprit had entered a nearby building, changed his clothes and

boarded the metrobus at the Cihangir-Üniversite stop, fleeing

the area. 

Both his clothes and the weapon were found in the building

the suspect entered after his attack.  Police identified the 

extortionist as E.Y. (17!)  and nabbed him, after which he was

jailed. 

 

"Beat & Release": Grandmother Gets Jail Time For Striking Granddaughter With Her "Terlik" (House Slipper), in Pamukkale

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 5 April 2025)

Don't mess with this Grandma! Armed and dangerous!

In Denizli's Pamukkale district on 9 August 2024, Asiye Vural

(18), who lives with her grandmother Asiye Kaytan (80), came

home from work and wanted to go out for the evening.  The

elder Asiye hanım, though, locked the door and wouldn't allow

her granddaughter to leave the house.  When young Asiye 

persisted, her grandmother struck her arm with her "terlik"

(slipper) so young Asilye counterattacked with a blow from

her phone to granny's head (!). 

Grandma Asiye was treated at a hospital for her head wound and

released.  Neither Asiye filed a police complaint against the other

but the public prosecutor did, asking for a jail sentence of up to

14 years (!) for the elder Asiye hanım for "restricting someone's

freedom".  At the court hearing on 24 February, Grandma Asiye

was sentenced to 2 years 6 months in jail.  

However (!), since the "attack on a family member" was 

committed with a "weapon", meaning the "terlik", the sentence

was raised to 4 years 2 months.  An appeals court is reviewing

the verdict but if it's approved then the elder Asiye hanım will

go to jail. 

Grandma Asiye lamented "I went to court and asked that my

granddaughter not be punished.  She wasn't, but I was!  And 

because my 'terlik' is considered a 'weapon' I was sentenced 

to 4 years 2 months in jail. At 80 years of age, I'll go to jail?!

How will I live there?!  I've had an operation and walk with

difficulty!  They're throwing me in jail because of  'anne

terliği' (famous in Turkey since every child has suffered such

a blow from their mother's 'terlik' at one time or another while 

growing up.)  No one should strike a child, but how was I 

supposed to know that a 'terlik' was considered a weapon?!"

As for young Asiye hanım, she opined that "I didn't file a 

complaint, but the state opened the case anyway.  Yet, don't

think a 'terlik' is harmless - don't let anyone strike a child

with one!"

"Flee & Release": Fugitive Struck by Police "Lightning" on Cable Car, in Bursa

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 4 April 2025)

           Nice ski jacket, perfect for unheated jail cell.

Police in Bursa got word that Doğukan Yıldırım (22), a fugitive 

fleeing a 4-year jail sentence for 48 counts of theft and drug use, 

had come to the Uludağ ski resort from Balıkesir.  As Yıldırım

(whose surname means "lightning") was returning to Bursa city 

from Uludağ on the "teleferik" (cable car), police nabbed him and

took him to jail. 

Path of the lightning bolt.

"Slip & Release": Gone Fishing, He Slips on Dog Poop and Falls 5 Meters Down, in Antalya

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Sabah Newspaper, 3 April 2025)

In Anatalya, Alparslan Barış Arıcan (38) was descending 

the "falez" (cliff/sea wall) to go fishing when he slipped on

some dog poop (!) and fell five meters down.  Unable to 

make his voice heard from the depths, Arıcan called his

relative Cüney Öz, who came and then summoned rescuers.

Arriving medics determined that Arıcan's leg was broken

so they put a splint on it and raised him up with ropes on a

stretcher to safety. 

Police have a warrant out for the pooping pooch

and master.

"Chase & Release": Cat Stranded on Utility Pole By Pursuing Dog Rescued by Citizens, in Van

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Sözcü Newspaper, 2 April 2025) 

And it looks like it'll be raining cats and dogs soon.

In Van's Başkale district, a cat that fled from a dog got stranded

on a utility pole it climbed for safety because the dog wouldn't

give up the chase.  After remaining up on the pole for some 

time, passers-by noticed the cat's dilemma and chased away the

dog. 

Cat has since taken refuge in Iran.

"Rent & Release": Landlord Harasses Lady Tenant With "Her" Fake Online Accounts to Raise Rent, in Ankara

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 1 April 2025)

                     G.A. knows a fake when she see it.

In Ankara's Eryaman district, a young woman named G.A.

rented a home owned by V.C., who wanted to raise her rent

more than the allowed 25%.  

When G.A. balked, as of 1 March 2023 she noticed that she

began getting unwanted, sexually-explicit phone calls and

that 4 accounts in "flirting" online programs had been opened

in her name, with details of her neighborhood and friends

included. 

G.A. appealed to public prosecutor Mahmut Kaan Yüksel for 

help and he found that the culprit was (surprise!) V.C.  At the

trial on 14 January, V.C. was found guilty, but in light of his

"clean" record and "good behavior" during the trial process, 

the sentence was deferred. (!)

"Beat & Release": Rural Peyton Place - She Killed Jailed Husband's Brother, Her Lover, in Samsun

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(DHA news service website, 31 March 2025)

      Inmate brother-husband missed all the fireworks.

In Samsun's Bafra district, Mustafa Bakar (74) asserted that the

murder of his son Murat Bakar (33) could not have been solely 

committed by his daughter-in-law Şehri Bakar (23), although she 

has said she acted alone.  The elder Bakar, complaining that once 

Şehri hanım confessed the case was closed,  noted that Murat bey's

head had been split open and his shoulder broken so a man's

strength must have been involved. 

The murder occurred on 4 October 2023 in Bafra district.  

Murat bey's body, with two bullets in it,  was seen by passers-by 

who alerted the Gendarmerie.  Şehri hanım was arrested and

said that "Murat and I had a relationship since 2018.  When his

brother, my husband (!), went to prison, we started up again. But

then he told me he was going to marry another girl so I shot 

him in his car. He stumbled out and tried to flee but I caught

up to him had smashed his head with the gun."