Police Nab Phone Theft Suspect After Dramatic Chase in Tel Aviv Mall

Coordinated police work between Tel Aviv District officers and undercover detectives from Hebron Station in the Judea and Samaria District led to the arrest of a Palestinian suspect on Thursday night in Tel Aviv. Police said the operation targeted repeat property offenders who travel across different parts of Israel and steal mobile phones, including from shoppers, beachgoers and soldiers on public transport.

The suspect is a Palestinian from Dahariya in his 30s. Investigators from Hebron Station had gathered intelligence on him, and the operation followed repeated incidents of phone theft at malls. During the activity, police received a report that several mobile phones had been stolen from a mall in Tel Aviv.

Fast investigative steps, including review of security camera footage, led officers to identify the suspect at the Azrieli Mall, where Hebron detectives were operating undercover. When he noticed he was being followed, the suspect fled through the crowd of shoppers and along the escalators.

Police said the undercover intelligence officer and detectives chased him and then tackled and arrested him in front of bystanders. He was transferred to Tel Aviv police for further questioning on suspicion of theft and illegal entry into Israel.