01.12.2025 10:50
A lifeless mannequin resembling a thief in a building window in Mersin is misleading many people, prompting some citizens to call the police and others to throw stones at the window. However, when it is understood that it belongs to an insurance company and is not real, the incident ends with a smile.
A insurance company located on İsmet İnönü Boulevard in the Cumhuriyet neighborhood of the Yenişehir district has adopted an interesting method to raise awareness against theft. Company officials placed a lifeless mannequin resembling a hooded thief with a backpack in the window on the first floor of the building about 5 years ago.
The mannequin, which was placed to inform citizens about theft and encourage them to get insurance, still attracts the attention of many people even after all these years. Some passersby mistake the lifeless mannequin in the window for a real thief and hesitate. Some consider throwing stones, while others are on the verge of calling the police. Those who look carefully for a few seconds realize that it is just a mannequin, and they both relax and laugh at the situation.
"THEY WANTED TO CALL THE POLICE"
Mete Aktaş, a local shopkeeper, stated that citizens passing by thought the lifeless mannequin was real, saying, "Two young people asked me as they passed by, 'Is a thief breaking in here?' But I explained to them that it was a mannequin. They laughed, and they even wanted to call the police beforehand," he said.
"I THOUGHT IT WAS A REAL THIEF AT FIRST"
Buğru Şevik, a frequent passerby, said he has seen the mannequin for years. Şevik stated, "The first time I saw the thief mannequin was around midnight. At first, I thought it was a real thief, but after looking carefully for 2-3 seconds, I realized it was a lifeless mannequin."
"SOME THROW STONES, OTHERS REPORT TO THE POLICE"
Arzu Tekin, the branch manager of the insurance company, explained that they implemented this application as an awareness campaign to encourage citizens to get insurance against theft in homes and workplaces. Tekin said, "Sensitive citizens sometimes throw stones thinking it is a real thief, and some want to report it to the police. There are even those who try to warn us by calling. However, when they realize it is a mannequin, they both laugh and say how effective the awareness we created is. As we receive this positive feedback, we understand better that we are doing the right thing."