Alleged Phone Theft Leads to Arrest and Hacker Group Claims
In a recent court hearing, a man apprehended for the theft of a mobile phone and laptop made a bold assertion, claiming to be an operative for a “Turkish hacker group.” The suspect was taken into custody on Saturday in Lefka after allegedly committing the crime in May 2023 in Kyrenia.
During the court proceedings, a police spokesperson detailed that the accused had been employed at a local telephone repair shop known as “Telefon Hastanesi,” which translates to “telephone hospital” from Turkish. It was here that he reportedly seized a mobile phone and a laptop left for repair by a customer. The investigation led authorities to another shop in Kyrenia, Cagri Teknoloji, where they discovered the phone being sold by the same individual who had initially stolen it.
Upon realizing he was being contacted by the police, the man switched off his phone and became unreachable. This prompted law enforcement to secure a warrant for his arrest. In his defense, the accused claimed affiliation with Ayyildiz Tim, a Turkish hacker group, and maintained his innocence. He argued that he had traveled to Cyprus from Istanbul and that facing a criminal trial would negatively impact his mental health.
The police representative expressed concerns that if released, the man might obstruct the ongoing investigation. Consequently, Judge Cenkay Inan ruled that the suspect should be held in custody for three days. The case has drawn attention due to the unusual defense involving claims of connections to hacker groups and has become a noteworthy instance in the ongoing issue of mobile phone theft and laptop theft.
As the authorities continue their investigation, this incident highlights the challenges faced in combating
