Two arrested in Babylon for armed robberies of three-wheeled motorcycles

BABIL, Iraq — Police in Babylon province arrested two suspects caught in the act of attempting another theft of three-wheeled motorcycles known locally as "taktik," the provincial police directorate said. The pair had previously pulled an unfamiliar driver onto a rural road, threatened him with a knife and a sharp tool known as a gomme, and stolen the vehicle along with his mobile phone, which they destroyed before fleeing, according to a police statement. A second robbery carried out in the same manner prompted an investigation by the El-Qasim Anti-Crime Branch, which formed a specialized team including criminal and cybersecurity officers. Surveillance footage and cyber analysis identified one of the suspects by the alias "el-Wekh," leading to an arrest warrant under Article 446 of the Iraqi Penal Code. The two suspects were apprehended while preparing to carry out another theft. In custody, they confessed to the two robberies and to similar offenses, the statement said. The investigation is continuing to locate the stolen vehicles.