Acting Prosecutor General Borislav Sarafov presented certificates and plaques from the Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Bulgaria to:
Chief Inspector Filip Blagoev, Head of Ihtiman Police Department
Senior Inspector Petar Georgiev, Head of the Criminal Police Group at Ihtiman PD
Junior Police Inspector Stefan Zashev, Security Police Group at Ihtiman PD
The awards recognise their high professionalism in apprehending the perpetrators of an armed robbery of a large cash shipment from an armoured vehicle, the Prosecutor’s Office reported.
On 16 January 2026, following a report of the robbery near the Ihtiman railway station, officers from the Ihtiman Police Department of the Sofia Regional Directorate responded immediately. Thanks to their swift and professional actions, the two individuals involved in the crime were identified. Following the request of the Sofia Regional Prosecutor’s Office, the court ordered pre-trial detention for both suspects.
Borislav Sarafov congratulated the officers, highlighting their professionalism, responsibility, and speed in solving this serious criminal case. The award ceremony at the Judicial Palace in Sofia was attended by Hristina Lulcheva, Administrative Head and Regional Prosecutor of Sofia, and Chief Commissioner Miroslav Rashkov, Secretary General of the Ministry of Interior.
photos by Prosecutor's Office
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A daring armed robbery took place on January 16 near the Ihtiman railway station, with thieves making off with more than €80,000 from an armoured cash-in-transit vehicle.
Shortly before 15:00, two armed and masked attackers assaulted the vehicle’s security guards. After disarming and tying up the guards, the suspects seized two cash cassettes containing over €80,000 and fled on foot towards the village of Stambolovo.
One guard managed to free himself and alert the police, prompting an immediate pursuit. The suspects were eventually apprehended, and during the investigation, they revealed where along the route the cash had been discarded.
Senior Commissioner Tihomir Tsenov, Director of the Sofia Disrict Police Directorate, said:
"After a lengthy foot chase through rough terrain towards Stambolovo, officers from the Ihtiman Police Department spotted and shortly afterwards detained two athletic males. During investigative actions, with the cooperation of the detained individuals, the stolen items – two cassettes containing just over €80,000 – were recovered."
The stolen cash was intended for replenishing ATMs in Ihtiman. According to current information, the suspects are from Sofia and have no prior criminal record.
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