We asked a retired homicide detective about motorcycle-borne attacks

Müslim SARIYAR / 12punto.com.tr, EXCLUSIVE NEWS

In recent years, motorcycles have increasingly been used in armed attacks in many provinces, particularly in Istanbul. These attacks either result in death or serious injury. As the helmeted attackers on motorcycles flee the scene, police have begun to struggle to catch them, as most of the motorcycles have fake license plates.

ATTACKS HAVE INTENSIFIED RECENTLY

In Adana, a person getting into their car to go to work was seriously injured after being targeted by an armed attack from two individuals on a motorcycle.

Similarly, in Gaziosmanpaşa, two unidentified individuals arriving on a motorcycle opened fire on a doner kebab shop; one person hit by the bullets lost their life at the scene, and another was injured.

Most recently, in the past few days, hotel operator Hamza Yılmaz (29), who was in his vehicle with a friend in Istanbul, was subjected to an armed attack by two assailants on a motorcycle. Hamza Yılmaz and his friend Ferhat Tunç (23), who were seriously injured, were taken to the hospital, where Hamza Yılmaz passed away.

12punto.com.tr asked about these attacks to Savaş Kurtbaba, a retired police officer who worked for many years at the Istanbul Homicide Bureau.

THIS METHOD IS BORROWED FROM ESCOBAR

Kurtbaba said, "Over the last 2 years, motorcycle-borne assassinations have become very frequent in large provinces where there are many escape routes, traffic congestion, and high population density. Most result in death. Those who are lucky survive with injuries. This method is borrowed from the drug trafficker Escobar. He is the person who invented this tactic. It has been taken as an example and has officially become the method used by assassins in our country. It existed in previous years, but it has increased even more in the last 2 years. Solutions for the police in such attacks have become difficult because either the motorcycle turns out to be stolen or the plates are. Since they wear helmets, their faces are not visible, so neither camera footage nor facial recognition can be obtained. However, they are caught when they leave evidence at the scene."

ATTACKS ARE CARRIED OUT PROFESSIONALLY

Emphasizing that the attackers are trained, Kurtbaba stated, "The fact that they carry out the attacks professionally and can hide themselves shows that these attackers have received training. The person or persons to be attacked are followed by the attackers through physical surveillance. There are even those so professional that they attach GPS devices to the vehicles of the people they intend to attack. The first person drives the motorcycle, while the second person tracks the vehicle with the GPS device via phone, and they carry out the attack when they reach the most suitable point, which is usually traffic lights."

THE SOLUTION IS TO PUT NUMBERS ON HELMETS

Touching upon the legal aspect of the issue, Kurtbaba said, "For a solution to these attacks, I believe helmets should be given numbers, just like license plates. Regardless of who wears a helmet without a number, severe penalties should be imposed. A decree-law should be issued regarding this. To give an example, during the years we worked, 'snatch-and-grab' thefts were very common. They were resulting in deaths. I was working at the Public Order Branch Directorate. We prepared and submitted a report to the Department of Public Order. We requested that these types of crimes be processed as robbery, because the penalty for robbery is severe. What happened? Over time, the snatch-and-grab incidents ended. Returning to our topic, helmets must definitely be numbered. Currently, everyone who owns a motorcycle or will buy one should have their helmets numbered. To prevent imitation, a cold seal, a General Directorate of Security seal, should be stamped on them. Believe me, if this helmet numbering system starts, these types of incidents will end within 4 or 5 months."