IDF soldier impersonated officer in election day weapons heist, say authorities

An IDF soldier stands accused of impersonating an officer to steal weapons at a paratrooper training base, which authorities say he sold to a Palestinian.

By World Israel News Staff

While the nation was occupied with its fourth round of elections in under two years, an Israeli soldier allegedly waltzed into a base for which he lacked clearance after guards failed to perform the requisite demand for identification.

The theft occurred at a Paratroopers Brigade training base, Maariv reported, where the suspect impersonated an officer and demanded another soldier surrender his weapon for “inspection.”

Within an hour, the suspect disassembled the weapon, stowed it in his backpack, and exited the base.

The soldier allegedly sold the weapon to a Palestinian and is now being investigated, Maariv reported.

The election day incident occurred three weeks after an Israeli soldier was attacked during a solo navigation training exercise.

The two assailants in that case stole the soldier’s weapon near Shfar’am in northern Israel, fleeing in their vehicle.

“The soldier tried to fight them off in a scuffle that took approximately five minutes. During the fight, the soldier threw his magazine into the bushes at the side of the road,” Israel Hayom reported.

The Shin Bet and the Military Police are investigating that incident, which IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi said crossed a red line.