19.03.2026 15:33
A lawsuit has been filed against Mehmet Ç. for a total of up to 16 years in prison for three separate crimes, after he entered a jewelry store in Kayseri with a stolen forklift, stole gold, and escaped on a donkey.
Mehmet Ç. (26), who entered a jewelry store in Kayseri by breaking its shutters with a stolen forklift, stole jewelry and fled the scene on a donkey, has been charged with a total of up to 16 years in prison for three different crimes.
The incident occurred on February 9 at around 04:00 in Tekin Street, İldem Cumhuriyet Neighborhood, Melikgazi district. Mehmet Ç. arrived in front of the jewelry store with a stolen forklift. The suspect broke the store's shutters with the forklift, entered, and stole 150 grams of jewelry. The suspect was identified through security cameras and was caught, while the 150 grams of jewelry found buried in the ground was returned to its owner. Meanwhile, the incident was captured on security cameras. The footage showed Mehmet Ç. breaking the jewelry store's shutter with the forklift and entering the store. The moments when the suspect, who stole jewelry from the store, fled the scene on a donkey were also reflected in the footage.
INDICTMENT PREPARED The investigation conducted by the Kayseri Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding Mehmet Ç. has been completed, and an indictment has been prepared. In the indictment accepted by the Kayseri Criminal Court of First Instance, a total of up to 16 years in prison was requested for the crimes of 'damaging property', 'violating the inviolability of the workplace', and 'theft of items kept under protection in a safe'. In the indictment, Mehmet Ç.'s statement was also included, in which he said, "I rode a donkey that belonged to me until İldem. I was drunk. I wanted to drink again. I couldn't because the liquor store was closed. I saw the forklift on the road. The wires were exposed next to the steering wheel. I started it by touching the wires. I got on the forklift to go to another liquor store to buy alcohol. I saw the workplace in question. I remembered the financial difficulties I was experiencing. I lifted the shutter with the forklift and entered the workplace," he said.
"NOBODY GUIDED ME" Mehmet Ç. also stated that he first headed towards the showcase, saying, "I took the gold that I didn't know the amount of. I put it in my pocket and fled on foot. I went to the stream and got back on the donkey. I went to our barn. I tied the donkey in the barn and hid the gold in a bag at the entrance of the hayloft. When I got home, my father asked why I didn't go to Mersin. I told him that the vehicle broke down, and that's why I couldn't go. Nobody guided me. I did such a thing because of my financial needs. I had taken a handful of gold. I dropped some of it at the scene. My father delivered the gold I took to the workplace. I also want to cover the damage at the workplace. I regret it," he stated.
Mehmet Ç. will appear before the judge for the first time in the coming days.