09.08.2026 08:30
In Istanbul's Fatih district, the bag of Ishak Yilmaz, who was praying at the historic Gazi Atik Ali Pasha Mosque, containing 70 thousand liras he had saved for years to buy a car and 53 grams of gold, was stolen. Yilmaz, who lost approximately 450 thousand liras in savings, said, 'Our efforts of several years went to waste,' while the moment the suspect committed the theft was captured on security cameras.
In the historic Gazi Atik Ali Pasha Mosque in Fatih, Istanbul, the bag of Ishak Yilmaz, who performed the noon prayer, containing 70 thousand liras in cash and 53 grams of gold, was stolen. Yilmaz, who said he had saved for years to buy a car with his savings worth approximately 450 thousand liras, said, "Our years of effort are gone." The moments when the suspect also took another person's bag in the mosque were captured on security cameras.
ENTERED THE MOSQUE TO PERFORM PRAYER
The incident occurred on Thursday, August 6, at around 13:30, in the historic Gazi Atik Ali Pasha Mosque on Atik Alipaşa Madrasa Street, Molla Fenari Neighborhood, Fatih.
Ishak Yilmaz, 38, who works at a private company in Kadıköy, set out to go to the Grand Bazaar to exchange the 70 thousand liras in cash and 53 grams of gold he had saved for years to buy a car.
When the noon call to prayer was recited, Yilmaz entered the mosque to perform his prayer, put the bag containing the money and gold next to him, and joined the prayer row.
TOOK THE BAG AND FLED WHILE HE WAS PRAYING
While Yilmaz was praying, an unidentified suspect approached from behind, took the bag containing years of savings, and left the mosque.
After finishing his prayer, Yilmaz noticed his bag was missing and reported the situation to the police. Upon the report, the teams took action, examined the mosque's security cameras, and began efforts to catch the suspect.
“MY YEARS OF EFFORT ARE GONE”
Describing the theft he experienced, Yilmaz said he wanted to buy a car with the money and gold he had saved for years, and stated: “I work at a private company in Kadıköy. I had some money and gold I had saved over the years. I was going to take them to the Grand Bazaar to exchange them and buy a car. When it coincided with the noon prayer time, I planned to perform my prayer and then go to the jeweler. While I was standing in the row behind the imam in the mosque, our bag was stolen by an unidentified person. The money was in the side pocket of my bag; our years of effort are gone.”
THE BAG CONTAINED 70 THOUSAND LIRAS AND 53 GRAMS OF GOLD
Stating that the total value of the stolen money and gold amounted to approximately 450 thousand liras, Yilmaz asked for his grievance to be resolved.
Yilmaz said, “There was 53 grams of gold and 70 thousand TL in cash; unfortunately, all of it is gone. I am greatly victimized; I request that the authorities resolve my grievance. It hurt me; they stole my effort and my right. Let them not hurt others, let them be disgraced. We went to the police station and gave our statement; I filed a complaint.”
HE ALSO STOLE ANOTHER PERSON'S BAG
The moments of the theft were reflected second by second on the mosque's security cameras. In the images, the suspect entering the mosque is seen taking Ishak Yilmaz's bag as well as another person's bag, and then leaving the mosque.
The police teams' efforts to catch the suspect, whose identity is still unknown, continue.