Following a months-long undercover investigation across several districts, Israel police on Monday arrested six Georgian nationals suspected of stealing wallets and phones from more than 100 elderly victims, mostly women, and withdrawing over NIS 1.5 million ($447,000) from their bank accounts.
According to police, the suspects, all Georgian men in their 30s, operated using a method dubbed “the choking ring technique”: they would spot an elderly woman with a handbag, board a crowded bus and physically trap the victim between gang members. One member would create a distraction near the driver while another approached from behind and discreetly stole the woman’s wallet and phone.
Footage from a robbery by the Georgian crime ring
After the theft, other gang members would quickly use the stolen phone, typically unsecured by a passcode, to access the victim’s banking apps. In many cases, they were able to retrieve PIN codes, take out loans in the victim’s name or withdraw large sums in cash.
The suspects are believed to have committed at least 111 thefts, targeting 109 elderly women and two elderly men, all between the ages of 70 and 90, in various cities including Tel Aviv, Ashdod, Haifa and parts of central Israel. Most incidents occurred in the early afternoon hours.
Surveillance footage shows a well-rehearsed operation: two members boarding ahead of the victim to create a diversion, while a third followed behind to execute the theft. Victims were effectively “boxed in” for several minutes, unable to move. In many cases, the suspects wore COVID-style face masks and exited the bus immediately after the robbery.
According to police, they were often able to withdraw NIS 40,000 to NIS 50,000 in loans from victims’ accounts within minutes, before the victims even realized they had been robbed.
Some of the suspects have prior convictions, mostly for theft. Over 120 case files have been linked to the same gang, with crimes spanning Holon, Bat Yam, Ashdod and Ashkelon. Despite the volume of cases, police said the arrests represent "just the tip of the iceberg."
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The suspects were arrested early Monday morning by detectives from the Central District’s Major Crimes Unit. The arrests were accompanied by raids and evidence collection. They appeared later in the day at the Petah Tikva Magistrate’s Court and their arrest was extended.
In a rare move, Central District police assigned the case to its elite major crimes unit, which typically handles violent crimes such as homicides in high-crime cities like Ramla and Lod. “This is a values-driven investigation," a senior officer explained. "We saw its scope and the fear it caused and decided to take action.”
Central District Commander Deputy Commissioner Yair Hezroni praised the unit’s work and instructed prosecutors to pursue the case to the full extent of the law.
The suspects face charges of theft, fraud and conspiracy to commit a crime. The investigation involved close coordination with bank security officers, credit card companies and public transit authorities.