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Reuters photographer admits selling stolen goods
Police confiscate over 150 digital cameras, laptops and plasma screens from store owned by Ahmed Shanti, a Reuters' cameraman in Qalqilya. Electronics stolen from houses near Tel Aviv
Raanan Ben-Zur
Several days ago special police and IDF forces raided Ahmed Shanti's store in Qalqiliya, confiscating over 150 electronic devices which Shanti admitted were stolen goods. Shanti, 34, works as a photographer for the Reuters news agency in Qalqilya.
Over the past few months police have noted a rise in break-ins throughout the Sharon area near Tel Aviv, burglars were escaping with numerous electronic goods. Police intelligence led investigators a store in Qalqilya which, in turn, sold the stolen electronics.
Tuesday night special police and IDF forces raided the store and arrested its owner in his home. The forces were surprised to discover that the man was a photographer employed by the Reuters news agency. The man was taken to his store where he pointed out two cameras which he said were his own and used for his Reuters photography job. He admitted that the rest of the electronic devices in the store were stolen goods purchased directly from the thieves.
In all police seized some 50 laptop computers, 48 digital cameras, 40 video cameras, 20 PDA's, 20 mobile phones and 20 plasma television screens.
The stolen electronics (Photo: Israeli Police, Sharon district)
"We know that most of the electronics were stolen from homes in the Sharon area," says district superintendent Shai Azulai, "we call on citizens who were burgled to call in advance to the police station and then arrive to identify their belongings."
The Reuters news agency says that the cameraman works independently and that while the agency employs his services from time to time, he does not work for the agency.
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