Nova Party Equipment Thieves Sentenced in Israel

A Beer Sheva Magistrate's Court has sentenced Ram Shahin to seven years in prison for aggravated theft and obtaining property by deception. Shahin was convicted of stealing sound equipment left at the site of the Nova music festival after the October 7th Hamas attack. The court also sentenced Daniel Hasson to 40 months in prison as part of a plea deal for attempted aggravated fraud.

The sentencing of San Lucian Tevel, who pleaded guilty to aiding the theft, will be determined at a later date. Judge Amir Doron emphasized the severe nature of the crimes, committed in the days following the October 7th massacre. He noted that Matan Lior, a sound technician who stayed at the festival site to help rescue the wounded and was killed, was honored by the court's condemnation of the defendants' actions. The judge stated that while the nation mourned and victims' blood was still on the ground, the defendants chose to desecrate the dead and human dignity, hindering rescue efforts.

Regarding Shahin, the court found he knowingly exploited the crisis, rejecting his claim of intending to help. Shahin misled soldiers and a police investigator to gain access to the site and remove the stolen equipment via truck. He even visited the family of the deceased Matan Lior during the mourning period while possessing the stolen gear. The indictment, filed by Prosecutor Thehila Nidam, detailed how two sound systems belonging to Lior's company were left at the festival grounds.

Shahin and Hasson contacted a truck driver to collect one sound system and a generator. They falsely claimed to be collecting a friend's equipment. The generator's movement triggered an anti-theft alert, leading to the truck driver's arrest and the equipment's seizure. Shahin later falsely presented himself to the police as Lior's partner, securing the release of the truck and equipment. The pair returned to steal the second sound system, with Shahin again claiming to retrieve his own equipment. After the first theft was exposed, Shahin promised to return the second system but only did so after police intervention.

In addition to his prison sentence, Shahin received 12 months suspended sentence, a 60,000 shekel fine, and 75,000 shekels in compensation to Lior's family and 25,000 shekels to Amity Nachum. Hasson received suspended sentences, a 30,000 shekel fine, and 40,000 shekels in compensation to Lior's family and 15,000 shekels to Nachum.