Car License Plates Stolen and Ransom Demanded Through Telegram App; Suspect Apprehended

On June 10, 2021, residents of Abovyan city reported to the Kotayk police that an unknown individual had secretly stolen their car license plates. The perpetrator had left a message on the vehicles via the Telegram app's account ‘@hamar 555,’ demanding various amounts of money for their return. The amounts demanded and received were 150,000, 60,000, and 35,000 Armenian drams respectively.

The Investigative Committee announced that criminal cases were initiated under the first part of Article 182 of the Criminal Code in connection with the incidents at the Kotayk police department and were transferred to the Abovyan investigative division of the Kotayk regional investigative department.

As a result of extensive and urgent investigative and procedural actions, it was determined that the criminal act was carried out by a 27-year-old resident of Yerevan. A decision was made to combine the criminal cases into a single investigation.

With sufficient evidence collected, the man has been charged under the first part of Article 182 of the Criminal Code (three episodes). A motion has been submitted to the general jurisdiction court of Kotayk province to impose detention as a preventive measure, which has been fully granted. The prosecution continues.