Shalit Deal Releasee Arrested for Car Theft in Ma'ale Adumim

Israeli police arrested over 20 suspects in the past week as part of a broad operation against property crimes and attempts to smuggle stolen vehicles into the West Bank. During the operation, the theft of six vehicles was thwarted within the Judea and Samaria district. Among those arrested is a Palestinian man in his 30s from Bethlehem, who was released in the 2011 Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange deal. He is suspected of central involvement in several car thefts that occurred in Ma'ale Adumim during August. Police confiscated the suspect's vehicle, finding tens of thousands of shekels in cash hidden in the front compartment, believed to be proceeds from the sale of two stolen cars. The suspect was transferred to the Ma'ale Adumim police station for interrogation, and his detention was extended by the court. Two additional suspects, residents of Bethlehem and Beit Jala in their 30s, were arrested the previous evening in connection with the same investigation and are suspected of involvement in car thefts in the city. In a separate incident, police in Ariel arrested a Palestinian man in his 30s from Qibya, suspected of multiple car thefts in the city. Police stated that these operations are part of an ongoing effort to combat vehicle theft rings that steal cars from Israeli towns and transfer them to the West Bank. Investigations into all suspects are ongoing.