A 40-year-old West Bank resident has been indicted for allegedly destroying 26 ATMs across Israel over a two-week period, causing an estimated NIS 1.5 million in damage.
The Valleys Police District Prosecution Unit filed the indictment Tuesday at the Nazareth Magistrate’s Court, charging the man with multiple counts of property damage.
‘Armed with a rock’: man accused of smashing 26 ATMs across Israel in two-week spree
(Video: Israel Police)
According to police, the investigation began on August 3 after a complaint was filed by the manager of a Bank Leumi branch in Tiberias. She reported that when she arrived at work, she discovered that six ATM machines at the branch had been smashed and destroyed.
“We arrived at the branch and collected the security footage, which records activity 24 hours a day, as well as the ATM machines,” said Tiberias Police investigations officer Chief Inspector Adham Zoabi. “We understood that the suspect arrived at 4:22 a.m. carrying a rock, approached the machines and smashed them.”
Shortly afterward, police received a report of damage to ATMs at a Bank Hapoalim branch in Tiberias. Investigators began checking for similar incidents and soon received additional reports of severe damage to Discount Bank ATMs in Afula.
The investigation later uncovered additional cases, including damage to seven ATMs at a Bank Hapoalim branch in Kfar Saba. Police said the first incident linked to the suspect occurred on July 19, when two ATMs were allegedly destroyed at a First International Bank branch in Hod Hasharon.
Hours after receiving the report about the damaged ATMs in Tiberias on August 3, police located and arrested the suspect near the scene.
“He was identified from the footage we obtained from the cameras,” Zoabi said. “He was brought in for questioning and admitted to the acts at four locations.”
Police described the incidents as a series of targeted attacks that caused extensive damage to banks and disrupted customers who were unable to use the machines.
“When we asked what explained his actions, he remained silent and did not answer,” Zoabi said.
Police requested that the suspect remain in custody until the conclusion of legal proceedings, citing the risk they believe he poses.
The suspect’s attorney, Jamal Zangeriya, who represents him through the Public Defender’s Office, said: “This is a defendant with complex life circumstances. The indictment was filed yesterday and we will respond in court.”