ANKARA — A court employee fled to the United Kingdom with approximately 25 kilograms of gold and 50 kilograms of silver stolen from an Istanbul courthouse evidence safe, Turkish authorities announced on Wednesday.

Erdal T, who worked at the Büyükçekmece Courthouse's evidence office, disappeared after failing to return from leave. Prosecutors discovered the theft on 1 December when the safe was opened and found empty.

Investigations revealed Erdal T fled Turkey on 19 November with his wife Esma T and children, boarding a flight from Sabiha Gökçen Airport to London at 8:22 am local time.

Before leaving Turkey, Erdal T sent a message to friends via WhatsApp saying "I sold the goods, may God grant prosperity to your markets," according to authorities.

The missing items belonged to various criminal investigations and court cases. Prosecutors issued arrest warrants for Erdal T, his wife, and another suspect, Kemal D, who worked as a clerk with access to the safe keys.

Kemal D was arrested at his home while Erdal T and his wife remain fugitives in the UK.

Authorities questioned all evidence office personnel including the records director and searched their homes but found no evidence linking them to the theft. Investigators extended Kemal D's detention while they review CCTV footage and phone records.

The stolen valuables were seized during an operation targeting migrant smuggling. Sources indicated the theft may have occurred in mid-November, with Erdal T allegedly using a shopping trolley commonly used for transporting court files to remove the metals past security checkpoints.

A detailed inventory showed the missing items included 9,906 grammes of bullion gold, 49 Ottoman reşat gold coins, 606 bracelets, 1,328 quarter gold coins, 167 full gold coins, 487 Atatürk-era gold coins and 50 kilograms of silver.

Turkish media reported the total value as approximately 150 million Turkish lira (€3 million).

Erdal T joined the courthouse as a permanent employee in 2021.— Euronews