Egyptian authorities arrested a person accused of breaking into a private garage in the Al-Attarin district of Alexandria Governorate (northern Egypt), and cutting up an antique car that its owner said belonged to the late President Gamal Abdel Nasser, according to local media.

The incident dates back to a report received by security authorities in Alexandria Governorate due to hearing noise in one of the garages in the Al-Attarin area. Residents reported the noise as annoying and suspicious. By tracking the report and arriving at the mentioned residence, the suspect was found.

Investigations into the incident revealed that the car is a 1961 Cadillac model, originally owned by former President Gamal Abdel Nasser, and was bought by a businessman at a public auction, who kept it in a private garage as a rare historical collectible.

The suspect repeatedly accessed the garage through an open niche in the skylight between the two buildings where the car was stored, over a period of 3 months, according to local media citing investigative authorities, and cut off parts of the car to sell as scrap. He justified his actions by his need for money and his ignorance of the car's historical value.

A report was filed on the incident, and the suspect was referred to the prosecution for investigation. He was ordered to be detained for 4 days pending investigation, accused of stealing and cutting up an old car.

According to legal expert Mabrouk Hassan, theft crimes under Egyptian law are misdemeanors, and if convicted, the suspect can be sentenced to imprisonment from 24 hours up to 3 years. He added to Asharq Al-Awsat: 'The penalty is imprisonment, not prison, because it is a misdemeanor, not a felony. However, determining the sentence is up to the judge's discretion, not the type of stolen items.'

Regarding whether the type of stolen items leads to a harsher penalty, he said: 'This is up to the judge's discretion, but in the law itself, the penalty is not based on the type of stolen items, but rather on the method of theft—whether it was at night, by distraction, or by force, for example.'

A collection of cameras belonging to the late leader Gamal Abdel Nasser (Gamal Abdel Nasser Museum)

According to several references, the late President Gamal Abdel Nasser (1918-1970) owned more than one car before and during his presidency. Among the cars he owned was an Austin 8 before he took power in 1956. He also owned a four-door Nasr 1100, manufactured by the Egyptian General Organization for Engineering Industries. He also owned a 1965 Cadillac Fleetwood, a car that was widespread among kings and presidents in the 1960s.