Retired Israeli Police Commander Recounts Major Tel Aviv Crime Cases

Retired Superintendent Ephraim Erlich, known by the nickname "Kremshnitt," has revisited some of Tel Aviv's most significant criminal cases from his extensive career. Erlich, who served in various high-ranking positions including head of the Tel Aviv District Detective Unit and deputy commander of the Hebron police, was involved in numerous complex investigations.

One of his most memorable cases involved the theft of antiquities from the Eretz Israel Museum. Undercover officers tracked a gang suspected of the thefts, eventually locating them at a villa in the Yehuda Halevi area of Tel Aviv. Upon entering the villa, police discovered the suspects dismantling a double wall, inside which the stolen ancient treasures were hidden. Erlich described it as a "very big case."

Erlich also recounted an attempted drug bust in Holon where an informant offered a chance to seize half a kilogram of cocaine. He ordered his officers not to proceed with the planned ambush, prioritizing a different operation that led to the arrest of Yariv Baruch, who was found with gasoline canisters and materials in his car and reportedly confessed to his involvement. This operation was part of a broader investigation into arson, including a brothel fire that killed four women.

Another case detailed was the murder of Altrovitz, who was shot 11 times. Initial investigations suggested a man named Ben-Gal was cooperating, but a later phone call to his mother revealed his involvement in directing activities related to a Swiss bank account and instructing an associate named Shani to flee the country. Shani was arrested attempting to leave Israel and subsequently convicted of murder and attempted murder, receiving a life sentence.

Erlich reflected on how the city and its underworld have changed over the decades, with new generations of criminals and advanced police technology. Despite the passage of time, he retains a deep familiarity with Tel Aviv's streets, recalling specific details from past investigations, from the "rags between the door and the frame" to the hidden treasures in a double wall, and his unwavering dedication to his work, which he described as being "sick with the police, crazy about the job."