18.06.2026 17:10
Security camera footage has emerged showing the moment when Erhan Karaal, Deputy General Manager of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Culture Inc., was abducted from in front of his home in Maltepe. The images capture the moment Karaal was put into a vehicle and quickly driven away.
Erhan Karaal, Deputy General Manager of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Culture A.Ş., was abducted from in front of his home in Maltepe on the evening of June 17 by unidentified individuals. His family has not heard from him for hours, and two people have been detained in connection with the incident.
BLACK BAG PLACED OVER HIS HEAD
According to information about the incident, the assailants neutralized Karaal and then put him into a vehicle. Some claims state that a black bag was placed over Karaal's head.
STATEMENT FROM THE CHIEF PUBLIC PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE
A written statement from the Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the incident included the following statements:
"Upon learning that Erhan Karaal, Deputy General Manager of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Culture A.Ş., was abducted by unidentified individuals in the Maltepe district of our province on June 17, 2026, necessary instructions have been given to law enforcement to locate the victim and apprehend the suspects, and the investigation is being conducted meticulously."
FOOTAGE OF THE ABDUCTION MOMENTS EMERGES
While teams have launched a comprehensive operation to locate Karaal and apprehend the suspects, new footage related to the incident has emerged. Security camera images show Karaal being placed into a vehicle, which then quickly speeds away from the street.
WIFE DESCRIBES HORRIFYING MOMENTS ON LIVE BROADCAST
Ayşe Karaal, who experienced great shock as her husband was abducted before her eyes, joined a live broadcast on Halk TV and described the moments second by second. Stating that the assailants were four or five people, Karaal said:
"Last night, my husband and I were going to go down to the shore. My daughter went ahead to tie up her bike. Then, while I was with my daughter, there were 4 or 5 people in a car. Two people cornered my husband, hit him on the head, and threw him into the car. At that moment, a neighbor coming from our apartment shouted, 'Erhan, Erhan.' We all went outside and immediately called 153. Thankfully, police teams intervened instantly. But we have not been able to reach my husband, Erhan Karaal, since 9 PM last night."
VEHICLE TURNS OUT TO HAVE CLONED LICENSE PLATE
Ayşe Karaal, who said neighbors who rushed out into the street during the incident tried to follow the abductors' vehicle but were unsuccessful, shared the 'cloned license plate' detail that changed the course of the investigation:
"Our neighbor had identified the vehicle's license plate and model. Later, our police officers found a vehicle identical to the same one in the Altıntepe area. However, according to the information given to us, that vehicle had not been started for three days. Presumably, a second vehicle with the same model and same license plate had been prepared, and that was used in the abduction."
LAST SIGNAL CAME FROM KARTAL
Technical surveillance data is also being evaluated in the meticulous work carried out by security units. Regarding the last signal received from her husband's phone, Ayşe Karaal provided the information: "The phone signals were traced to the Kartal area. Police are continuing their investigations there, but no result has been obtained yet."
"WE HAVE NO ENEMIES, HE WOULD NEVER COMPROMISE ON A SIGNATURE"
Emphasizing that her husband had no feud, debts, or receivables with anyone, Ayşe Karaal highlighted Erhan Karaal's honest stance in his professional life:
"We spoke with everyone at his former workplace and his current institution. Everyone describes him as a gentleman, respectful, good at his job, and an honest person. There was a saying from his former boss: 'Even if you kill Erhan, he would never sign that signature if it wasn't in the interest of the institution.' When I spoke with his new general manager, he said the same things. Everyone who knows him says similar things."