A $42,000 gold heist targeting a 75-year-old shopkeeper has rattled Hargeisa’s markets and revealed how the unrecognized nation struggles to pursue suspects once they flee abroad
Hargeisa, Somaliland — The Somaliland Police Force has issued new details in the unfolding investigation into a brazen gold theft in Hargeisa, where a 75-year-old shop owner was allegedly tricked out of jewelry worth more than $42,000 by two foreign visitors.
Authorities confirmed Thursday that the case is now under the leadership of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and involves close cooperation with the Immigration Force and the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Airport Development. Several suspects are already in custody, though police declined to provide names, citing the sensitivity of the investigation.
“We ask the public not to draw premature conclusions and to wait for the official results of the investigation,” the police said in a statement. “We stand in solidarity with the Mother Sakiya and are committed to our legal duties.”
The victim, Sakhiya Ibrahim, a grandmother who runs a small jewelry stall at Ali Gold in Hargeisa’s Gobanimo Market, described the loss as devastating. Gold in Somaliland is more than ornamentation: it is a traditional form of savings and security, particularly for women.
“At seven o’clock in the morning, they came to me,” she told local reporters. “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.”
A Market on Edge
The theft has shaken the tight-knit community of gold traders at Gobanimo Market, where hundreds of small vendors sell jewelry in narrow, crowded stalls. Security camera footage, widely circulated on social media, appears to show two foreign men handling gold in Ibrahim’s shop before slipping away. Their passports, identified as Georgian, were also posted online, fueling widespread outrage.
“This is not just about one woman’s gold,” said Abdullahi Omar, a vendor who runs a stall nearby. “This is about the safety of all of us. We trade with trust. If foreigners can come here, steal, and escape on a plane, then who is protecting us?”
The suspects reportedly boarded a flight to Dubai shortly after the theft, according to immigration logs reviewed by authorities. While police have hinted that arrests were made, they have not confirmed whether the detained individuals are the original suspects or possible accomplices.
A Crime With Global Ripples
The cross-border dimension of the case underscores the challenges Somaliland faces as an unrecognized state trying to police international crime. Without formal diplomatic recognition, Somaliland’s ability to engage in extradition or law enforcement cooperation is limited.
“This is a test of Somaliland’s institutions,” said Ahmed Farah, a Hargeisa-based security analyst. “They are handling the case with seriousness, but pursuing suspects abroad will require cooperation from countries like the UAE or Georgia. That’s complicated when you don’t have official recognition.”
Local anger has also spilled into debates over race and trust. Some community leaders suggested that Ibrahim’s willingness to trust the suspects was linked to their appearance. “If the man had been African, or even Somali, she would never have trusted him,” one elder told The SaxafiMedia. “It was precisely because he was white that she believed him. This reflects one of the most damaging legacies of colonialism: the mindset that leads some Africans to distrust their own.”
Calls for Reform
Vendors and customers alike have urged authorities to boost surveillance and security at Hargeisa’s markets. Gobanimo, one of the city’s busiest trading hubs, handles millions of dollars in gold and cash transactions daily, yet policing remains light.
“Gold is our bank,” said Amina Hassan, another vendor. “We do not put our money in accounts. We buy gold. That is our savings, our insurance, our children’s inheritance. To lose it like this is not just a theft—it is an attack on our way of life.”
The government has pledged to expand market patrols and increase cooperation with shopkeepers. Police have also appealed directly to Ibrahim to remain engaged with the CID investigation to ensure “a full and fair outcome.”
What Remains Unclear
- Suspects’ status: Authorities have not publicly named the individuals in custody or clarified whether they are the Georgian nationals identified in CCTV and passport records.
- Recovery of assets: It remains unknown whether any of the stolen gold has been traced or seized.
- Motive: Investigators have not determined whether the theft was premeditated, opportunistic, or part of a broader criminal network.
Watch below: CCTV footage shows Georgian tourists stealing $42,000 in gold from Ali Gold Shop in Hargeisa
A Grandmother’s Plea
For Ibrahim, the case is both personal and symbolic. Her stall, where she has sold jewelry for decades, is her livelihood and legacy.
“I beg the government of Somaliland and the government of Georgia to arrest these men and bring them to justice,” she said. “This is my life savings. I cannot start again at my age.”
Police have promised regular updates, but for now, the community waits anxiously. The gold may be gone, but the case has struck at something larger—Somaliland’s sense of safety, trust, and economic resilience in the face of crime that crosses borders as easily as flights out of Hargeisa.
By the Numbers: Somaliland’s Gold Economy
- $2.3 billion— Estimated annual value of Somaliland’s informal gold trade, according to local chambers of commerce.
- 70%— Proportion of households that keep part of their savings in gold jewelry, often passed down across generations.
- 340 grams— Amount of gold stolen in the Hargeisa heist, equivalent to nearly one year’s income for an average shopkeeper.
- 5 daily flights— Average number of passenger flights linking Hargeisa’s Egal International Airport to Dubai, a hub for gold re-export.
- $42,000— Value of gold lost in the theft, roughly 15 times Somaliland’s average per capita income.
Explainer: Why Somaliland Struggles With Cross-Border Crimes
No extradition treaties: As an unrecognized nation, Somaliland cannot formally sign extradition agreements, limiting its ability to bring back suspects who flee abroad.
Limited diplomatic channels: Without embassies or international recognition, Somaliland often relies on informal appeals to foreign governments when suspects escape.
Dependence on cooperation: Law enforcement must lean on partners like Ethiopia, Djibouti, and the UAE, where goodwill—rather than binding treaties—guides cooperation.
International legal limbo: Suspects can exploit Somaliland’s ambiguous status, knowing its legal demands may not carry weight outside its borders.
Impact on justice: Victims often face long waits, uncertain outcomes, or complete impunity when crimes cross Somaliland’s borders.
