Workmen suspected of stealing IDF weapons July 3, 2017A sample of recovered stolen weapons. (Police spokesman) (Police spokesman)Workmen suspected of stealing IDF weaponsPolice busted a ring that stole weapons from the IDF and sold them to criminals. An intensive investigation by Israel’s security forces exposed a network that traded in stolen weapons.The network stole assault weapons, and other IDF military equipment, while conducting construction work on a southern base in May.The network is suspected of stealing 33 M-16 assault rifles and selling them to criminal elements.A two-member crew working on the base stole the weapons and sold 10 of them to a criminal ring in the South and another 18 rifles to a crime gang in the North that same day. They sold another five guns four days later.The transfer was made by hiding the guns in a car trunk and exchanging cars with the crime ring at a gas station.The police recovered 11 of the stolen weapons and another three weapons, as well as a large drugs cache. Police confiscated the suspects’ vehicles used during the burglary.The police stated that the nationwide rigorous investigation led to the thwarting of a severe danger posed by assault rifles available on the market.The two-member crew, brothers from Beer Sheva who stole the weapons, as well as four arms dealers, were arrested.All six were brought before a judge to be remanded on Monday.By: Aryeh Savir, World Israel News CrimeIsraeli law
