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.



Italy’s Olympic Flag Bearer Tamberi Loses His Wedding Ring in the Seine River

Gianmarco Tamberi waves an Italian flag as the Italian team parades along the Seine river in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024 (AP)
Gianmarco Tamberi waves an Italian flag as the Italian team parades along the Seine river in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024 (AP)
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Italy’s Olympic Flag Bearer Tamberi Loses His Wedding Ring in the Seine River

Gianmarco Tamberi waves an Italian flag as the Italian team parades along the Seine river in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024 (AP)
Gianmarco Tamberi waves an Italian flag as the Italian team parades along the Seine river in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024 (AP)

Drama is never far from the surface when it comes to flamboyant high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi and big events.

This time it involved what went below the surface.

The Italian lost his wedding ring in the Seine River during the rainy opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.

“I’m sorry my love, I’m really, really sorry,” Tamberi wrote in an open letter of apology he posted on Instagram on Saturday to his wife of two years, Chiara Bontempi.

“Too much water, too many kilograms lost over the last few months and maybe the uncontrollable enthusiasm of what we were doing. Probably all three things,” added Tamberi, who shared flag-bearing duties for Italy with fencer Arianna Errigo during Friday's ceremony, which featured boats parading athletes instead of the usual procession inside a stadium.

Last month, Tamberi pretended to hide springs in his shoes when he won gold at the European Championships then jumped into the arms of Italy President Sergio Mattarella. And when he shared gold with his good friend Mutaz Barshim at the Tokyo Games, Tamberi celebrated wildly, which drew more attention than his performance.

Tamberi, along with Errigo, had the honor of flying to Paris on the presidential plane with Mattarella, which he called “the most emotional flight of my life” — a play on words with his jumping “flights."

Tamberi said he felt the ring sliding off his finger and saw it dropping as Italy cruised down the Seine on a boat with Israel and Jamaica.

“I followed it until I saw it bounce inside the boat,” he said. “But the rebound went in the wrong direction unfortunately. ... But if it had to happen, if I really had to lose this ring, I couldn’t imagine a better place. It will remain forever on the riverbed in the City of Love.”

Tamberi is favored to win another gold when the men’s high jump competition starts Aug. 7.

“Hopefully this is a sign that I’ll come home with an ever bigger gold medal,” he said.

Tamberi invited his wife to throw her ring into the Seine, too.

“Then they’ll be together forever,” Tamber said, “and we’ll have another reason to renew our vows.”