Jerusalem Man Charged with Vandalizing Cars Over Stolen Speaker

A 40-year-old Jerusalem resident, Shlomo Bluka, has been indicted for setting fire to cardboard at a "Lotto" betting shop and damaging several parked cars in the northern city of Tzfat on the eve of Rosh Hashanah. Bluka was arrested at the scene and faces two indictments along with a request for his detention until the end of legal proceedings.

The incident occurred around 11:15 PM on Rosh Hashanah eve when police received a report of a fire at the "Lotto" station on Ha'aliya Street in Tzfat and damage to nearby vehicles. Responding officers apprehended Bluka, who, when questioned about his actions, stated, "They stole a speaker worth 1,500 shekels from me. This is tit for tat. My heart hurts, let theirs hurt too." When a police officer pointed out that he was damaging property belonging to uninvolved individuals, Bluka retorted, "Oh, and they steal from me without knowing me?"

The indictment details that Bluka first set fire to cardboard at the entrance of the "Lotto" station. He then proceeded to damage four parked cars on the street. He smashed a Hyundai's window with a rock and shattered the rear windows of other vehicles, including a Hyundai, a Skoda, and a Subaru.

In addition to the Rosh Hashanah incident, Bluka is also accused of scratching two cars in the parking lot of the "Rimonim" hotel in Tzfat in July using a sharp object. His detention has been extended periodically, and the indictments, filed at the Kiryat Shmona Magistrate's Court, include charges of malicious damage to a vehicle and the use of flammable materials.