_a.jpg "Photo: Eli Elgart")
General Eisnkot
Photo: Eli Elgart
IDF general's car hijacked
Chief of Northern Command Gadi Eisnkot's driver threatened with weapons outside central Israel home. Stolen vehicle later found in Qalqilya
Anonymous persons hijacked the vehicle of Chief of the IDF Northern Command Maj. General Gadi Eisnkot, while it was parked at the home of Eisnkot's driver in central Israel. It was later found in Qalqilya.
Eisnkot's driver, a career soldier, lodged a complaint with the police stating that three citizens belonging to an ethnic minority came over to him as he was taking things out of the car in the driveway of his home, threatened him with a gun and knife and instructed him to give them the keys to the car.
They fled upon receiving the keys to the car. The driver was lightly injured during the robbery, after being forcefully removed from the vehicle.
The report was passed along to the police and the IDF, who put up roadblocks near the area in order to try and find the stolen vehicle. Following an investigation, the IDF determined that there was no sensitive information in the vehicle.
IDF sources said that it was unclear whether the car-thieves were aware of the car's ownership, as it is not demarcated as a military vehicle.
The car is a civilian off-road vehicle, which can be used by the general to tour the field, and as such, is expensive and may have been car-jacked from criminal motivations alone.
Only a few months ago, a Col. from the airforce decided to retire from the army, pursuant to a 2005 theft of a laptop computer containing sensitive information from his vehicle. Reports indicate that he was widely regarded professionally and was earmarked for promotion to Brig. General.
Raanan Ben-Zur contributed to this report
