Two Indicted for Posing as Minor to Lure and Rob Men in Beersheba
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS by baba
An indictment was filed against Zohar Peretz, 28, and Moshe Halfon, 18, for luring men to Beersheba parking lots by posing as a minor online and robbing them. The defendants allegedly used threats, violence, and a knife to steal cash, phones, and a debit card in two separate incidents last month. Prosecutors cited the pair's prior violent convictions and the premeditated nature of the crimes as evidence of their dangerousness.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Zohar Peretz and Moshe Halfon were indicted for luring and robbing men in Beersheba after posing as a minor online.
- The defendants allegedly used threats, violence, and a knife to steal cash and phones in two separate incidents.
- One victim was robbed of 1,100 shekels, an iPhone 12, and a debit card after being lured to a parking lot.
- In a second incident, the pair stole 600 shekels and an iPhone from another victim after damaging his car's windshield.
- Prosecutors highlighted the defendants' prior violent convictions and the premeditated nature of the robberies.
The State Prosecutor's Office has filed an indictment against Zohar Peretz, 28, from Dimona, and Moshe Halfon, 18, from Beersheba, for two counts of aggravated robbery, extortion, fraud, and malicious damage to a vehicle. The indictment, filed by prosecutor Hila Malul, alleges the two conspired with a third, yet-to-be-arrested individual to impersonate a minor on the "MAKE LOVE" dating app and Telegram. They used a young woman's photo, obtained under false pretenses, to lure men into meetings for the purpose of robbery.
In the first incident last month, the three defrauded a complainant of 200 shekels and arranged a meeting in a Beersheba parking lot. Upon arrival, the victim was confronted, threatened with a knife, assaulted, and robbed of 1,100 shekels, an iPhone 12, and a debit card. When the victim requested his phone back, the defendants demanded 50,000 shekels for its return.
Approximately five days later, they lured another man to a parking lot in broad daylight. They climbed onto his car's roof, kicked in the windshield, assaulted him, and stole 600 shekels and an iPhone. In their bail request, prosecutors noted the defendants have prior violent offense convictions and their danger is evidenced by the premeditation and violence used. The indictment emphasizes the severity of the crimes, committed in residential areas, and in the second case, in broad daylight, "without any fear or apprehension."
