Four arrested for staging car fires to solicit donations

BAGHDAD — Baghdad’s Karkh Police on Wednesday said they arrested four people accused of setting fire to their own cars in a scheme to fraudulently collect money from the public.

The Interior Ministry said in a statement that the suspects would ignite their vehicles “in a calculated way that did not raise suspicion,” then claim losses to attract sympathy and gather donations.

During questioning, police said the four confessed to deliberately burning the cars and moving between neighborhoods to continue the scheme.

Karkh Police Command warned that such fraud “will not go unpunished” and urged citizens to be cautious, avoid being misled, and report similar cases through hotlines or local stations.

In several areas across Iraq, it is common for people to collect donations when a vehicle catches fire — a practice the suspects allegedly sought to exploit.