21.10.2026 18:01
The 37-year-old Japanese Peace Bell, a symbol of friendship between Yalova and Japan's Tonami city, was found at a scrapyard 35 days after it was stolen from a park on September 14. It was determined that the suspects, who cut its handle with iron shears, transported the 87-kilogram bell by electric bicycle and sold it for 26,000 lira. Two suspects who were caught were arrested, while legal proceedings were also initiated against three scrap dealers who bought the bell.
The 37-year-old 'Japanese Peace Bell,' a symbol of the friendship and brotherhood relations between Yalova and Japan's Tonami city, was found at the scrapyard where it was sold for 26,000 TL, 35 days after it was stolen. Two suspects detained in connection with the incident were arrested.
The Japanese Peace Bell located in the park on Cengiz Koçal Street in Süleyman Bey Neighborhood was stolen on September 14. Following a complaint filed by the Yalova Municipality Parks and Gardens Directorate, teams from the Provincial Police Department Public Order Branch Directorate launched an investigation. Teams examining City Security Management System (KGYS) footage identified the suspects. According to the reviewed camera footage, three suspects left a house in Bağlarbaşı Neighborhood at 03:28 on the day of the incident. The suspects, moving on an unplated gray three-wheeled electric bicycle, arrived at the park where the bell was located at 03:57.
THEY CUT ITS HANDLE AND LOADED IT ONTO THE BICYCLE
The suspects cut the handle part of the bell with the iron cutting shears they had brought. Then, loading the 87-kilogram bell onto the cargo box of the bicycle, the suspects left the area. It was also reported that while the suspects were carrying the bell, the electric bicycle's battery ran out on the neighborhood ramp, whereupon they carried the bell to Bağlarbaşı Neighborhood, and to avoid police pursuit they covered the front part of the electric bicycle with cardboard.
As a result of physical surveillance and investigations, two of the three suspects were caught on October 19. It was learned that the bell was sold to a scrapyard in Bağlarbaşı Neighborhood for 26,000 lira about one week after it was stolen. The stolen bell was found at the scrapyard indicated by the suspects 35 days after the incident.
TWO SUSPECTS ARRESTED
According to a statement from the Yalova Governor's Office, within the scope of the work carried out by Provincial Police Department teams regarding the theft of the Japanese Peace Bell, two of the suspects caught were arrested at the court they were brought before and sent to prison. It was stated that efforts to catch the other suspect are continuing.
LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THREE SCRAP DEALERS
Legal action was also taken against the three scrap dealers who bought the bell on the charge of 'purchasing or accepting criminal property.' The found Japanese Peace Bell was delivered to officials of the Yalova Municipality Parks and Gardens Directorate to be exhibited again.