Hotel Employee Aids Systematic Theft From 26 Rooms at Eilat Hotel

Israeli police in Eilat uncovered a sophisticated theft scheme involving a hotel employee at the Astral Maris Hotel. The suspect, a 1996-born man originally from Ashdod and acting as the maintenance manager's deputy, allegedly stole a master key card from a colleague's personal equipment locker. He then gave the card to an accomplice, a 1987-born man from Kiryat Malakhi, who used it to break into 26 different guest rooms and steal cash, credit cards, bags, and personal items.

Security footage captured the accomplice moving between floors, impersonating maintenance staff, and entering rooms. In one instance, a couple lost about 12,000 shekels in cash along with other belongings. The employee guided his partner by phone, directing him through the hotel’s layout to facilitate the thefts. Afterward, the two suspects used stolen credit cards to make purchases at various stores in Eilat.

Police arrested both suspects swiftly after receiving the report. During the arrest, officers found a suitcase containing numerous stolen items, including checkbooks, wallets, phones, personal documents, portable speakers, and bottles of alcohol. Both suspects largely exercised their right to silence during questioning. One suspect has a prior record related to burglary and credit card theft and faces four additional ongoing investigations nationwide.

Authorities believe the thefts represent a prolonged criminal pattern exploiting guests' trust and damaging public security and property. Police are investigating whether there are more unreported incidents. After three detention extensions, one suspect was released by the Eilat Magistrate’s Court, while the other faces 30 charges, including 26 counts of hotel room break-ins and four additional offenses. The prosecution will also request his detention until the trial concludes.