Somalia: Somaliland Gold Heist - CCTV Shows Georgian Tourists Stealing $42,000 in Gold

Hargeisa, Sept 24 — Somaliland police are investigating the theft of gold worth $42,000 from 75-year-old Sakhiya Ibraahim at Ali Gold jewellery shop in Hargeisa, reportedly carried out by two Georgian nationals.

The incident occurred at Ali Gold in Gobonimo Market, one of Hargeisa's busiest trading hubs. CCTV footage and passport records reportedly show the visitors taking the gold before fleeing the country, with reports indicating they may have traveled to Dubai shortly after the theft.

Passports of the suspects have gone viral on social media, drawing public outrage over the incident.

Sakhiya Ibraahim, the shop owner, said the thieves tricked her during the transaction, exploiting her trust to steal the gold.

"At 7 o'clock in the morning they came to me. They took 340 grams of gold, worth $42,000. They brought two bags--one contained the gold, the other fake items. They told me: 'Our boss has just come from the bank, please keep this for us.' After that, they took the sack with the gold and left me the other. An hour later, when I opened the sack, the gold was gone. I reported it to the Criminal Investigation Department, but they had already left the country," Sakhiya said.

Sakhiya has pleaded to the world, calling on both the Georgian government and Somaliland authorities to arrest the thieves and bring them to justice.

The Somaliland Police Force confirmed the case is being handled by its Criminal Investigation Department (CID), in cooperation with the Immigration Department and the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airports. Authorities said the suspects are in custody but did not release their identities, urging the public to avoid speculation.

"We ask the public not to draw premature conclusions and to wait for the official results of the investigation," the police said, adding they stand with the victim and are committed to pursuing justice.

The theft has sparked outrage in Somaliland, where gold serves not only as jewelry but also as a traditional form of savings. Market vendors are calling for stronger surveillance and increased policing in crowded commercial areas to prevent similar incidents.

Horn Diplomat will continue to monitor the investigation and provide updates as the story develops. Follow Horn Diplomat for the latest on this case.

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