Man Arrested for Allegedly Setting Fire to $190,000 Concrete Mixer Truck
Authorities in northern Israel are set to indict a 33-year-old man, Malek Zouabi of Nof HaGalil, for allegedly torching a concrete mixer truck valued at approximately 700,000 shekels (about $190,000 USD) in the industrial zone of Beit She'an last month. The truck, purchased just a week prior to the incident, was completely destroyed in the blaze on the night of August 15th. Police received a report of the burning truck in a lot near the 'Readymix' factory and, following an investigation with a fire investigator, determined it was an intentional act using flammable material.
Investigators initially faced challenges in identifying a suspect, as the truck's owner stated he had no known disputes or threats. "This is a case where the person whose truck was burned says he knows nothing. You have no initial investigative direction -- you are going in the dark and fumbling," police explained. However, the investigation gathered extensive security footage and intelligence. A suspicious vehicle seen arriving at and leaving the scene led investigators to track its route, eventually identifying Zouabi filling canisters with fuel at a gas station shortly before the arson, according to police.
Zouabi was arrested on August 24th, with police noting that the seizure of the vehicle allegedly used in the crime further strengthened the evidence against him. His detention has been extended periodically, and prosecutors are expected to file charges and a request for continued detention until the end of proceedings. Station commander Superintendent Hadas Amar praised the "sophisticated, long, and very complex investigative actions" that led to the "full resolution of the incident" in a relatively short time, highlighting the difficulty in securing convictions for arson cases.
A similar incident occurred in Majdal Shams in March 2025, where a resident allegedly set fire to his former employer's vehicle due to a financial dispute, breaking the window and throwing a flammable bottle inside. Charges and a request for continued detention were filed against that suspect following a Northern District investigation.
