Suspicion: 80-year-old woman robbed of national insurance funds
Police arrest four men suspected of stealing NIS 2,500, jewelry from elderly woman
Police arrested four men on Tuesday, suspected of robbing an 80-year-old woman in Haifa.
The suspects, aged 18-20, entered the woman's house in Haifa's Hadar neighborhood on Monday, threatened her and stole NIS 2,500 in cash, along with rings she was wearing and other items of jewelry they found in her apartment.
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Police investigation revealed that one of the detainees living in close proximity to the elderly woman followed her, and knowing that she owns money collected by national insurance funds, he invited his friends to help him with the robbery.
"She is a lonely, aged woman. She was without a mobile phone and was able to recuperate only after some time had passed. She also needed medical care," Investigations Officer Superintendent Rami Khouri said.
The police officers that were called in to the woman's apartment and took her statements, patrolled and collected intelligence information that led, within hours, to the arrest of the suspects, who are residents of Haifa.
Parts of the stolen funds were in the suspects' possession, but a portion of the loot had already been spent.
The stolen property was found in a jewelry store in south Tel Aviv. The store owners are to be questioned by police.
"These are people who chose a weak victim, followed her and then attacked her viciously," said Haifa police chief Avi Edri.
"We will continue the investigation and make sure that the suspects are brought to justice."
The officers tending to the the aged woman observed her dire economic situation and therefore updated Haifa municipality's welfare department of her state, while making sure she is provided with furnaces and food vouchers.
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