Another Bahraini tourist falls victim, loses valuable belongings and BD1,000

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune - www.newsofbahrain.com

Report by Ashen Tharaka

A Bahraini woman on a personal trip to Turkiye became the latest victim of a notorious female robbery gang operating in Istanbul.

During her visit on August 3, she lost valuable belongings, including over BD1,000 in cash, while dining at the famous Hafiz Mustafa Restaurant.

“I was enjoying some baklava, with my bag on the table beside me. Before I knew it, the bag was gone, hidden away in a large black bag by the thieves,” she told The Daily Tribune in an exclusive interview.

Within minutes, she received alerts for unauthorized transactions on both her debit and credit cards. Shockingly, the thieves bypassed OTP approvals and quickly drained her accounts.

“They used my credit card for several transactions, stealing BD650 from it and BD300 from my debit card under the guise of a fake company named AKYAKA,” she explained.

Luxury handbag

In addition to the money, she lost her luxury handbag worth around BD1,000 and $400 in cash.

Realizing what had happened, the woman immediately alerted the restaurant manager and reviewed CCTV footage. “I was horrified to see a young girl, no older than 10, stealing my bag with two women in niqabs,” she said.

The incident was promptly reported to the Istanbul police, but the culprits have yet to be identified. While she managed to recover the stolen credit card amount, she had to pay a BD130 investigation fee and was unable to recover the money taken from her debit card.

Similar fate

This alarming event comes on the heels of another incident we reported on August 26, where a Bahraini tourist in Istanbul narrowly escaped a similar fate, thanks to the swift intervention of Turkish police.

That theft took place in the busy “Beyoglu” district, a popular shopping area in Istanbul. Turkish police investigations have revealed that the female gang behind these crimes has a long history of theft, with a staggering 368 reported cases to their name.

As Istanbul remains a favored destination for travelers, incidents like these underscore the importance of vigilance and caution when visiting bustling tourist spots.