Young Couple’s Wedding Cash Stolen in Burglary, Suspect Later Charged After Police Chase
A 23-year-old man from Beit She'an is suspected of breaking into the home of a young couple from Afula and stealing all of their wedding money just days after their celebration. At the same time, the Nazareth Magistrate’s Court received an indictment against him for driving while disqualified and running over a police officer during the subsequent chase.
The bride, Oria, 21, said the theft destroyed the couple’s start in life. They had been left with 55,000 shekels from the wedding, money they planned to use as seed money for their future. She said the burglar appeared to know the cash was in the apartment and took it while they were at work. “He ruined our happiest day,” she said, adding, “I would ask the judge to give him the harshest punishment, no mercy.”
The couple contacted police, who collected evidence at the scene, including fingerprints that allegedly link the suspect to the break-in. Police said that within hours they had identified a suspect, then later found him driving in Afula. According to Chief Insp. Doron Gabai of the Afula police investigations and intelligence unit, officers blocked him, but he fled, drove onto a traffic island, raced through the city, and stepped on a detective’s foot. Police fired 13 shots at the vehicle before he escaped, and he was arrested hours later after intelligence led officers to him.
The suspect denied all allegations in questioning. Investigators later found he was driving while under a court-imposed ban, and prosecutors charged him with reckless driving, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance, driving without a license, assault causing actual bodily harm, assaulting a police officer in the line of duty, causing damage, and obstructing a police officer. Police say they strongly believe he is the burglar, pending final confirmation of the fingerprint evidence. His lawyer, Rashid Haib, said the young man leads a normal life, is a father to an infant, denies the burglary and the alleged injury to a police officer, and will respond after reviewing the evidence.
