Details of the drama in Kalesija: Police returned fire, one perpetrator dead, one identified, third still unknown

(Patria) - After yesterday's armed robbery in Kalesija, officials from the Police Administration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tuzla Canton today clarified the chronology of events and whether all perpetrators have been found.

Police Director Dževad Korman recounted the chronological details of yesterday's day, after the Kalesija Police Station received a report that a robbery of the "Baručić" jewelry store was in progress and that the persons who committed the robbery were armed.

According to collected information, three unknown masked individuals drove to the jewelry store owned by Refik Baručić, located in the center of the Kalesija municipality, within the Shopping Center, i.e., the building of the Bosnian Cultural Center Kalesija.

"One masked person remained in the vehicle, while two masked individuals entered the jewelry store. Upon entering the jewelry store, they found the owner and forcibly tied him up, then committed robbery, stealing a large amount of gold and silver jewelry. The material damage and the exact value of the stolen jewelry are still unknown," said Dževad Korman, director of the Police Administration of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of TK.

Upon leaving the store, one person was armed, according to the description, with an automatic rifle, while the other was armed with a pistol.

"They also carried bags containing the stolen jewelry. As they approached the vehicle, in which another masked person was in the driver's seat, they noticed police officers nearby and opened fire on them. The officers returned fire. The attackers then entered the car and continued moving, firing from the moving vehicle towards the police, and the police, in order to protect citizens who were nearby, fired shots towards the vehicle. In this exchange of fire, no police officers were wounded, nor were any citizens injured," he added.

After reaching the main road, the perpetrators traveled several kilometers, turned onto a local road towards the settlement of Delići, where they continued along a forest road towards Jelovo Brdo. There, they abandoned the vehicle, set it on fire, while one unknown person who sustained fatal injuries was left at that location. The other two individuals continued along the forest road towards the settlement of Osmaci on the territory of the Republika Srpska.

Police officers from the Zvornik Police Administration, the Osmaci station, as well as neighboring police stations, joined the search. Additionally, members of the special support unit were engaged.

From the very beginning, coordination was established by phone with the director of the Republika Srpska police and the head of the police administration. An on-site investigation was conducted in the presence of the duty prosecutor of the Cantonal Prosecutor's Office. Traces of firearm use and damage to the vehicle were found.

"The lifeless body of the masked man has been identified. It is Matija Gurdeljević, born in 1980 in Tuzla, who resided in Zvornik. Part of the stolen gold and silver was found at several locations. Police officers from Zvornik and Osmaci collected the remaining jewelry in their area," it was stated.

The body of Matija Gurdeljević was transported to the Memorial Center for an autopsy.

"Police officers of the Police Administration have learned that hunting cameras were placed along the forest road. Members of the support unit found these cameras, and by reviewing the footage, they identified another possible perpetrator of this criminal act. For the other person, also linked to the event, the identity still cannot be confirmed with certainty, and additional information is being collected that could help in their identification," he added.

Based on available data, other persons may also be connected to this criminal act. These individuals have been deprived of their liberty and handed over to the competent authorities. In the interest of the investigation, the names of the other persons have not been disclosed.