Six residents of the Bedouin town of Hura in the Negev were indicted on Monday on charges stemming from the armed robbery of a jewelry store in the Palestinian town of Dhahiriya near Hebron in the West Bank.
The Southern District Attorney’s Office said the suspects planned the robbery together and decided to pose as IDF soldiers. In a request to detain them until the end of legal proceedings, prosecutors wrote that the men armed themselves with weapons, airsoft rifles, ceramic vests, uniforms resembling those of the IDF, a GMC Savana-type vehicle, face coverings, gloves and other equipment.
Six Bedouin men posing as IDF soldiers rob a jewelry store in the Palestinian town of Dhahiriya
(Video: from social media)
“They robbed the jewelry store with brutality and by instilling fear, while threatening the victims and passersby with weapons,” the request said.
The indictment, filed in the Be'er Sheva District Court, charges Yusri Abu Qa’an, Mohammed al-Qi’an, Moayed, Odeh, Hamam and Yasser Abu al-Qi’an with aggravated robbery, illegal possession and transportation of weapons, aggravated assault, kidnapping, firing a firearm and impersonating a soldier.
According to the indictment, the six organized to carry out the robbery and equipped themselves with weapons, including an M-16 rifle and five airsoft rifles resembling M-16s, along with additional military-style gear. On Jan. 13, they entered Palestinian Authority-controlled territory through the Meitar crossing and, at about 10:30 a.m., arrived outside the jewelry store, disembarking from the vehicle dressed in what appeared to be Israeli military uniforms.
The GMC Savana vehicle they used is commonly associated in Israel with undercover security units.
Several members of the group entered the store while others remained outside to secure the vehicle, with one suspect staying in the driver’s seat. Upon entering, one of the men aimed a weapon at a store employee and handcuffed him.
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Six Bedouin men posing as IDF soldiers rob a jewelry store in the Palestinian town of Dhahiriya
(Photo: Screenshot)
During the robbery, one of the suspects shouted at a Palestinian man and struck him. The robbers ordered those inside to raise their hands and claimed the jewelry belonged to Hamas and therefore had to be confiscated, according to the indictment.
After about 10 minutes, the suspects left the store, abducting one Palestinian man and forcing him into their vehicle.
Prosecutors said the six fled with about 4 kilograms (8.8 pounds) of gold jewelry, 100,000 shekels (about $32,000), 10,000 Jordanian dinars and $1,000 in cash.
Two Palestinians began chasing the vehicle, and the suspects opened fire in their direction, the indictment said. The abducted man was later released from the vehicle, and the suspects fled.
Two of the defendants were arrested later by police officers. Another was detained minutes later by a passerby. Two additional suspects were arrested by Palestinian security forces and transferred to Israeli police two days later, prosecutors said.