Police Air and Ground Chase Ends in Arrest of 16-Year-Old Quad Rider in the Negev

A dramatic police chase in the Negev ended this week with the arrest of a 16-year-old from the Bedouin encampments, a resident of the Dhnafi tribe, after he rode a quad bike without a helmet and without a driver’s license. Police said the teen drove recklessly in a way that endangered passersby and tried to flee when officers spotted him during enforcement activity in Bedouin areas.

According to the police, ground units began pursuing him, while a police helicopter directed the search from the air. The chase continued until officers located him and caught him after a foot pursuit. He was later taken for questioning at the Segev Shalom police station in the Rotem area.

Investigators found that the suspect had never obtained a driver’s license. He was issued a summons to juvenile court as part of the traffic proceedings against him, and the quad bike he had been riding was seized and impounded for 30 days.

Police said the move is meant to prevent further dangerous use of the vehicle and to deter similar offenses. The arrest is part of an ongoing campaign by Southern District police and the Yoav Unit against serious traffic violations, illegal driving, and disobedience to police orders that endanger public safety and road users. Police added that they will continue using operational and technological tools, including combined air and ground forces, to track suspects in open and remote areas.