Police in Lod arrested a 62-year-old man with a long history of burglaries after he accidentally dropped his dentures while fleeing a second-floor apartment he had broken into. DNA testing from the dentures linked him to the crime.
The break-in occurred in May around 4:30 a.m. The suspect entered the apartment through a window, wearing a ski mask and carrying a flashlight. He attempted to steal items while the couple inside slept and opened the apartment door from the inside to facilitate his escape.
The homeowner heard a noise and went to investigate. In the living room he saw the suspect rifling through his wife’s bag. Shouting in Russian “What are you doing here?” the resident blocked the burglar’s escape. A struggle ensued during which the homeowner removed the ski mask and instructed his wife to call the police.
The suspect jumped out of a kitchen window to flee, leaving the apartment empty-handed. Dentures dropped during the struggle were recovered inside the apartment and at the landing where he landed.
DNA tests confirmed the suspect’s identity, revealing his extensive criminal record in apartment and vehicle burglaries. Police arrested him and filed an indictment last week at the Lod Magistrate’s Court charging him with burglary and requesting he remain in custody until the conclusion of legal proceedings.