Man accused of stealing 69,000 TL from market in Lefkoşa

Lefkoşa, Cyprus — A man identified as YB has been remanded in custody for two days following his arrest in connection with a burglary in which 69,405 TL in cash was stolen from a local market. 

Authorities are also investigating Baygut’s possible links to other unresolved theft cases in the area.

The incident occurred in the early hours of July 22, at around 03:25 a.m., when a market located on Yüzbaşı Tekin Yurdabak Street in the Marmara district of Lefkoşa was broken into. 

According to police testimony in court, the suspect allegedly entered the premises through a back aluminum door without causing damage. Once inside, he reportedly stole the cash, which had been stored unsecured beneath the store’s cash register.

The suspect was identified from surveillance footage and arrested under a warrant issued by the Lefkoşa District Court. Police said that 57,515 TL in cash was found in his possession at the time of arrest.

A further 18,225 TL was recovered during a search of the suspect’s residence on the same day, while 3,090 TL was discovered inside his vehicle. In total, over 78,000 TL in cash has been recovered as evidence, although police believe portions of it were distributed.

Investigators also revealed that YB gave a voluntary confession and directed officers to the Dereboyu area, where he had discarded the clothing he wore during the burglary. The garments were later recovered as evidence.

Additionally, YB is believed to have loaned 11,000 TL and 460 GBP (approximately 25,200 TL) to two acquaintances. Police obtained statements from those individuals and retrieved the funds as evidence.

The investigation is ongoing, with police seeking additional witness statements and attempting to verify YB’s residency status in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Authorities are also examining whether he is connected to other unsolved theft cases in Lefkoşa.

The judge granted the police’s request and ordered that the suspect remain in custody for an additional two days while investigations continue.