AZE.US
Police in Baku have detained two men in connection with a series of thefts in the capital’s Sabunchu district, including a scheme in which stolen license plates were allegedly returned only after owners paid money.
According to Azerbaijan’s Interior Ministry, several victims contacted police after discovering that the state registration plates had been removed from their vehicles under unclear circumstances. Officers from the 13th Police Department of the Sabunchu District Police Office identified and detained a 33-year-old suspect, Hasan Safarli.
Investigators say Safarli stole the license plates and then left his mobile phone number on the vehicles. When car owners called him, he allegedly demanded payment in exchange for returning the plates. Police believe he may have carried out similar crimes in other parts of Baku as well.
In a separate operation, officers from the same police unit detained 27-year-old Elchin Khalilov, who has previously been convicted multiple times. He is suspected of breaking the windows of two vehicles and stealing cash from inside. Investigators also believe he stole non-ferrous metals from a facility in the district.
Authorities said the investigation is continuing in both cases.