Suspects caught in attack on Turkish businessman

ISTANBUL – Demirören News Agency

Authorities have nabbed seven suspects believed to be linked to the violent armed robbery at the home of the chairman of a prominent Turkish business group and his wife earlier this week.

The suspects were apprehended while they were trying to cross from Bulgaria to Romania.

Cemalettin Sarar, chairman of Sarar Group, and his wife were robbed by three masked attackers in their house in the Central Anatolian province of Eskişehir early on May 19. The armed beat Cemalettin and Zehra Sarar, a statement issued by the group later said.

The couple’s hands and feet were bound while the robbers reportedly opened a safety deposit box and stole money in foreign currencies and jewelry.

The attackers spoke in an Eastern European language, the couple told the police, after they managed to untie themselves about one and a half hours later.

Afterwards, a man of Moldavian origin, alleged to have worked in the Sarar family’s house, has been detained by police.

Police later determined seven other people may have been connected with the violent robbery and confirmed that the suspects had crossed from the Turkish northwestern province of Edirne to Bulgaria.

After Turkey alerted Bulgarian authorities, the seven suspects, all of Moldavian origin, were caught by the Bulgarian police at the Kardam border gate while trying to cross into Romania. Upon Turkey’s request, the suspects are being held at the Sofia Busmantsi Detention Center, a temporary accommodation for foreigners.

Following extradition processes, the seven suspects will be handed over to Turkey.