Police Nab Arab Gang That Targeted Maale Adumim

Police overnight Tuesday nabbed a gang of thieves who had been raiding homes in the area of Maale Adumim, stealing cash and goods and taking them back to the Arab village of Azariya. Three Azariya residents were arrested, and 20 were detained for questioning. Police said that the gang would take household items and vehicles and offer them “wholesale” to merchants in Arab neighborhoods of Yerushalayim and villages in the area, who would in turn sell them “retail” to unsuspecting customers. Some of the cash, meanwhile, may have ended up in the hands of terrorists for use in activities against Israelis. A number of stolen items have been recovered, police said.

Meanwhile, IDF troops continue their nightly raids on Arab villages in Yehudah and Shomron to repossess cash and goods that were given to the families of terrorists by the Palestinian Authority as “payment” for terror activities undertaken by family members. Overnight Tuesday, troops seized thousands of shekels and vehicles in a village in the Chevron area. In addition, the soldiers seized several weapons and ammunition.

Security officials said they arrested 14 wanted security suspects in other areas in Yehudah and Shomron. The suspects were wanted for participating in rioting and throwing stones and firebombs that endangered Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers. Several of the suspects were also charged with belonging to Hamas. All were being questioned on their activities by security forces.