Man uses forklift to break into jewellery shop, escapes on donkey in Turkey

Man uses forklift to break into jewellery shop, escapes on donkey in Turkey

• Man used forklift to break into Turkish jewellery shop at night
• Suspect fled on a donkey after stealing 150g of gold jewellery
• Police caught the man nearby and recovered the stolen items

Did our AI summary help?

A jewellery shop in Turkey was left with a shattered storefront and a very unusual crime story after a 26-year-old man allegedly broke in using a forklift and then tried to flee on a donkey.

According to police, the man drove the forklift straight into the shop’s metal shutters late at night. CCTV footage shows the machine pushing and jolting against the entrance until the barrier buckled. Within moments, the suspect is seen stepping inside, moving quickly behind the counters and grabbing handfuls of gold jewellery.

Investigators say roughly 150 grams of gold were taken, including rings, necklaces and earrings. The exact value has not been made public, but shop owners described the damage to the storefront as extensive.

What happened next is what has turned the case into a talking point. After abandoning the forklift nearby, the suspect allegedly mounted a donkey and rode off through side streets. Security footage shows a lone figure on the animal moving away from the commercial area not long after the break-in.

Police were alerted quickly and tracked the suspect within a short distance. Officers detained him and recovered the stolen jewellery, officials said. The forklift, which had been left at the scene, is also being examined as part of the investigation.

Authorities are now trying to determine how the suspect accessed the forklift and whether anyone helped him plan the robbery. He is expected to face charges related to theft and property damage.

While social media has latched onto the image of a donkey escape, police have underlined that the incident caused serious damage and could have put bystanders at risk.

For the shop owner, the focus is less on the spectacle and more on repairing a business that was violently forced open in the middle of the night.