Kayseri Jewelry Heist: Forklift and Donkey Used in Bizarre Gold Theft

A bizarre and brazen heist has left officials in Kayseri, central Turkey, scrambling to piece together the audacity of a 26-year-old suspect who allegedly stole gold from a jewellery shop using a forklift and a donkey. The incident, captured on CCTV footage, has raised urgent questions about how such a scheme could unfold in broad daylight—and whether similar methods are being tested elsewhere.

On February 9, surveillance cameras in the Melikgazi district recorded a surreal sequence of events. Mehmet C., identified later by police, was seen driving a stolen forklift directly into the shopfront of a jewellery store. The footage shows him repeatedly ramming the metal shutters until they buckled, allowing him to enter the premises. Wearing a beanie and surgical mask, he methodically knocked over a counter, rummaged through showcases, and calmly pocketed gold jewellery. Could this be a case of premeditated chaos, or a desperate act of theft?

The most striking detail, however, comes after the theft. The suspect fled the scene on a donkey—specifically, the same animal he had left standing outside the shop earlier. How did a man in his late 20s manage to transport stolen goods on an animal typically associated with rural pastoral life? The answer lies in his own words, which he later provided to police.

Authorities were alerted by an alarm triggered during the break-in, prompting a swift investigation. The Kayseri Provincial Police Department's Public Order Branch played a critical role in identifying Mehmet C. through fieldwork and camera analysis. His story, however, is as baffling as the crime itself. He told officers he had ridden his donkey to the Ildem area, consumed alcohol, and even claimed he initially intended to buy more liquor—only to find the shop closed. Did this moment of frustration lead him to the forklift, or was there a calculated plan in motion?

The suspect alleged he discovered a forklift with exposed wires near the steering column and started it by touching the wires together. This detail alone highlights a level of technical improvisation that police are now scrutinizing. After breaking into the jewellery store, he claimed he took only 'a handful' of gold, hid it in a bag buried near a hayloft, and returned home on the same donkey. The police recovered the 150g of gold, returning it to the shop owner—a resolution that does little to dampen the intrigue surrounding the method.

Mehmet C. was taken into custody and remanded in prison by a court. Yet, the case leaves lingering questions. How did he transport the forklift to the scene? Why choose a donkey as a getaway vehicle? And what does this incident reveal about the evolving tactics of thieves in Turkey? As the investigation continues, one thing is clear: the line between chaos and calculation has never been thinner.