Two members of a gang that has been terrorizing the city and fleeing the crime scenes by bicycle have been arrested, Russian media reported Tuesday.
The two men were arrested and charged with the murder of an elderly woman as well as robbery, the Investigative Committee said on its website on Tuesday.
According to the statement, together with another man the two suspects forced their way into the 69-year-old woman's apartment in Moscow's Tagansky district on June 9. The group bound the woman's hands and feet, taped her mouth shut and left with 230,000 rubles in cash and valuables worth $63,000, the statement said.
The victim's lifeless body was discovered the following day by her son, Igor Zigman, the owner of a successful network of jewelry workshops, tabloid news site LifeNews reported. Media reports suggested that she had either suffocated or died of a heart attack.
The two suspects currently in custody are a Moldovan man and a Russian from the Kaluga region, the Investigative Committee said, adding that a search is under way for other people involved in the crime.
LifeNews said the men were members of a gang responsible for a string of burglaries in the Russian capital in which the thieves targeted the apartments of wealthy Muscovites and subsequently escaped by bike.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
