Unemployed Russian Citizens Victims of Fancy Car, Cash Robberies

Russian Police. PHOTO: REUTERS
Russian Police. PHOTO: REUTERS
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Unemployed Russian Citizens Victims of Fancy Car, Cash Robberies

Russian Police. PHOTO: REUTERS
Russian Police. PHOTO: REUTERS

Russia has recently seen many bizarre robberies. Usually, thieves target wealthy people, business owners, and high-income earners, with whom they can find huge sums or expensive items. Yet, although it will always be a crime, stealing a million dollar from the apartment of an unemployed citizen is strange.

From a series of strange robberies, the Russian Interior Ministry disclosed a report submitted by a resident living in Moscow, saying thieves stole his fancy Lexus. After examining the robbery site, police said that unknown men had stolen a Lexus LX570 from an unguarded parking. They pointed out that the car owner, who submitted the report, is an "unemployed" citizen, and estimated his material losses at 6.5 million Russian rubles, more than $ 100,000. It is known that this luxury car is the favorite choice among wealthy Russian millionaires, politicians, and other powerful people, who often use all security means to protect it from theft. It seems, however, that the "unemployed" citizen thought that the thieves would not approach his car, fearing that it would belong to an important figure, so he left it unguarded, and lost it.

Another unemployed resident from Moscow had also been a victim of a bizarre robbery. This man had kept large sums of cash in his apartment in north-east Moscow. According to the official report, an unknown man broke into his apartment and stole 12 million rubles (about $250,000 dollar), 350,000 dollars, and 250,000 euro.

Another “unemployed" resident from Moscow also lost his "Gelandewagen", Mercedes-Benz, estimated at about $ 100,000 in a similar robbery that took place late 2017. Surprisingly, in all these robberies, no one knew the sources of those "unemployed" Russians’ wealth, in a country where many working people are usually forced to economize their income, so it suffices them till the end of the month.



Heat Wave Forces Iran to Shutter Government Offices and Banks

 An Iranian taxi driver checks his car during the heat surge in Tehran, Iran July 21, 2024. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters
An Iranian taxi driver checks his car during the heat surge in Tehran, Iran July 21, 2024. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters
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Heat Wave Forces Iran to Shutter Government Offices and Banks

 An Iranian taxi driver checks his car during the heat surge in Tehran, Iran July 21, 2024. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters
An Iranian taxi driver checks his car during the heat surge in Tehran, Iran July 21, 2024. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via Reuters

A heat wave blanketing Iran has forced authorities to cut operating hours at various facilities Saturday and order all government and commercial institutions to shutter the following day as hospitals receive over 200 people for heatstroke treatment.

The temperature ranged from 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) to 42 C (about 107 F) in the capital, Tehran, according to weather reports.

State-run IRNA news agency said banks, offices, and public institutions across the country would close on Sunday to protect people’s health and conserve energy, due to extreme temperatures and that only emergency services and medical agencies would be excluded.

Babak Yektaparast, Spokesman for the country’s emergency department told the semi-official Mehr news agency 225 people had to seek medical help for heatstroke, adding that some had to be hospitalized.

Mehr also cited Sadegh Ziaian, an official at the National Meteorological Organization, as saying Saturday that the temperature reached over 45 C (113 F) in 10 Iranian provinces, with the highest temperature of 49.7 C (about 121 F) recorded in the last 24 hours in Delgan, the southeastern city in Sistan and Baluchistan province which borders Pakistan and Afghanistan.

He added a drop in temperature was expected Monday, with the heat letting up a bit, but still, he warned that “this does not mean that the air will cool down.”

Authorities also cut working hours on Saturday in many provinces due to the sweltering heat, IRNA reported, adding that high temperatures, over 40 C (104 F), have been registered in Tehran since Friday. Iranian media also warned people to stay indoors until 5 pm local time.

Authorities also said electricity consumption reached record levels of 78,106 megawatts on Tuesday, as the scorching heat persisted and people tried to stay cool.

Nournews, close to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, reported Wednesday that Iran’s temperature is rising at twice the pace of the global temperature which has increased by more than one degree compared to the long-term average. Meanwhile, Iran has become warmer by 2 degrees over the past 50 years, the agency said.

Last year, Iran ordered a two-day nationwide holiday due to increasing temperatures.