04.12.2025 08:55
A theft incident at the Büyükçekmece Courthouse in Istanbul has made headlines. Clerk Erdal Timurtaş, who stole approximately 25 kilograms of gold and 50 kilograms of silver from the judicial safe, has been found to have fled to England. It has been revealed that Timurtaş meticulously planned every detail of the scheme, which amounts to 154 million Turkish Lira in value. Timurtaş, who told those around him, "We have received our visa, we will be moving to England," has been found to have a wife who works as a paid teacher.
The theft incident that emerged with the robbery of the judicial custody safe at the Büyükçekmece Courthouse in Istanbul has caused a great shock in the courthouse. An investigation revealed that approximately 25 kilograms of gold and 50 kilograms of silver were missing.
HE TOOK IT OUT WITH A WHEELCHAIR As part of the investigation initiated by the Büyükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the judicial custody officer clerk Kemal Demir was taken into custody. It was determined that Erdal Timurtaş, who worked as a clerk in the office, filled the gold into black bags and took it out of the courthouse with a wheeled cart similar to a shopping cart.
REVEALED DURING INSPECTION: THE SAFES WERE EMPTY The incident came to light during a routine inspection conducted by the responsible public prosecutor on December 1. After Timurtaş, who had been working in judicial custody since 2021, took leave saying, "I have family problems" and did not come to work for a long time, the prosecutor, suspicious of the situation, had the safes opened, which were in the possession of clerk Kemal Demir. It was determined that the safes were completely empty.
TOTAL FRAUD 154 MILLION LIRA As the investigation deepened, it was revealed that the stolen gold and silver were items seized in a gold smuggling investigation involving migrants. An arrest warrant was issued for Timurtaş and Demir regarding the theft of the valuables, which were determined to be worth approximately 154 million lira.
HE FLED WITH HIS FAMILY Police investigations revealed that Erdal Timurtaş fled to England from Sabiha Gökçen Airport with his wife Esma Timurtaş and their two children on November 19. It was also determined that he had previously traveled to England once and had received an assignment document from the courthouse for a visa application in March.
While an arrest warrant was issued for Timurtaş and his wife, the interrogation of Kemal Demir, who is in custody, continues. The statements of the head of the writing department and other personnel working in the judicial custody office have also been taken. No criminal evidence was found during the searches conducted at the suspects' homes.
Erdal Timurtaş MESSAGE TO HIS FRIENDS: I SOLD THE GOODS It was also revealed that Timurtaş sent a message to his close circle saying, "I sold the goods. May God bless your market." In the routine inspections conducted every two months at the courthouse, it was reported that all the items were in place during the last check on October 2.
HIS WIFE'S PROFESSION CAUGHT ATTENTION According to a report in Sabah, it was learned that Esma Timurtaş, the wife of Timurtaş, who committed one of the largest thefts in recent years, worked as a paid classroom teacher at a primary school in Esenyurt, where their two children also studied. It was stated that she told her surroundings, "We got our visa, we will move to England," while the police began to examine all the camera recordings around the school.