Police Bust Arab Carjacking Gang

Police on Wednesday arrested a gang of three Arabs responsible for numerous carjackings in Yehudah and Shomron. The gang stole numerous vehicles by intimidating drivers on highways in the region and forced them to stop, and then forced them out of their vehicles at gunpoint.

The gang was caught in one of the stolen vehicles – which they had carjacked Tuesday night near Ramallah. All three were in the vehicle, as was property that they had taken from other vehicles they recently stole.

Police said that the gang would generally speed up and pass drivers on the left on two-lane roads, with vehicles going in both directions. The drivers who were passed would slow down and allow the passing vehicle to get ahead of them in the face of oncoming traffic. The gang would take advantage of the slowdown and stop their vehicle on the road right in front of the victim’s vehicle. The victim would stop as well, and the gang would descend on the vehicle, pulling the door open and forcing the driver out.

The three were arrested and arraigned, and police plan to ask for an extension of their remand. Police said in a statement that they would “continue their unstopping and determined efforts against gangs that attempted to harm the welfare and steal the property of Israelis.”

Overnight Tuesday, security officials said they arrested 7 wanted security suspects in other areas across 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.