Maj. Gen. Hagai Topolanski
Photo: Shaul Golan
Robbers suspected of breaking into former IDF major general's home arrested
Police arrests members of an organized gang of robbers suspected of stealing the military laptop of Maj. Gen. Hagai Topolanski, leading him to resign.
Police have arrested six people suspected of breaking into the home of former IDF Manpower Directorate head Hagai Topolanski, it was cleared for publication on Monday.
Topolanski's military computer, which was in his home during the break in, was stolen, leading the major general to resign his post. The stolen computer, however, has yet to be found.
The six suspects—from the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Bedouin communities—were arrested over the past two weeks with the aid of large police forces and special units.
Topolanski, left, and the outside of his home (Photos: Shaul Golan, Barel Efram)
The six are suspected of being involved in a series of break-ins in the Shfela and southern regions.
The investigation found the robbers carried out five break-ins in one night, during which they stole several vehicles in the nearby moshav Arugot and moshav Kfar Ahim.
Intelligence and investigative activities led to the conclusion that the break-ins were carried out by a sophisticated gang of robbers operating in three cells.
The different cells cooperated in an organized manner, with each member having a specific role: some would drive Palestinians, who were illegally entering Israel, to carry out the break-ins; others would steal the vehicles and move them to previously-decided-upon locations; others would collect the vehicles and smuggle them into the West Bank.
One of those break-ins in December was to Topolanski's home.
Four of the suspects have already been indicted, while the remaining two are expected to be charged on Monday.
Despite Topolanski's resignation, an investigation against him is still ongoing at the IDF's Criminal Investigations Division (CID), at the end of which it will be decided whether to indict him for not taking the necessary precautions to prevent his military laptop from being stolen, or settle for his resignation and close the case.
