A 22-year-old convicted Transcarpathian “mined” objects in Rivne region and demanded money

November 24 at 16.00 an unknown person sent an SMS message on the mobile phone of a private entrepreneur, which said that the building of the shopping center "EKOmarket" in Rivne on Soborna st., where she rented a department, was mined, and at 5.30 an explosion would happen. To avoid this the stranger demanded 50,000 UAH.

In 10 minutes a similar message was also received by the director of a credit union, headquartered at the hotel "Mir". The man demanded the same amount and in case of refusal threatened with an explosion, which would occur at the hotel at 17.00. This time, the anonymous even dared to talk to the "victim" personally.

From supermarket the police evacuated 250 people, and from the hotel – 10 people (due to repairs).

The next call to the police was from Zdolbuniv. As it turned out, an unknown person on the same day "mined" a private house in Zdolbuniv, near Rivne, that belongs to one of the hospital employees. The offender demanded 50,000 UAH.

– Within two hours, following the conducted search operations together with the Office of Security Service of Ukraine in Rivne region we found a person who anonymously reported mining, – said the head of the Office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine in Rivne region Vasyl Lazutko. – The offender is serving a sentence in Horodok correctional center for committing an offense under Part 2 of Article 289 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal appropriation of a vehicle). 

The offender was a 22-year-old resident of Transcarpathia, which was sentenced by Tyachiv District Court to five years confinement. A mobile phone and a SIM card have been seized from him. The man now gives testimony. The criminal proceedings under Article 259 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (Knowingly false report of a threat to citizens, destruction or damage of property) have been opened. All the services worked efficiently and thus there is the result, – said the head of the Office of the Ministry of the Internal Affairs.

Tamara Lysenko, head of the public relations department of the Office of MIA