Israeli Border Police Arrest Two Suspects Stealing Over a Ton of Watermelons Near Ein HaMifratz

Israeli Border Police from the Coastal Unit arrested two suspects last week for stealing more than one ton (1,014.5 kilograms) of watermelons from an agricultural field near Ein HaMifratz. The incident began when a local farmer reported that suspects had trespassed on his land with a herd of approximately 300 sheep, causing significant damage to his crops.

Border Police quickly set up surveillance and spotted two individuals picking watermelons and loading them into a vehicle. The suspects were caught "red-handed" at the scene. During the investigation, it was revealed that one suspect is an illegal resident from the West Bank, while the other is suspected of employing and transporting him, as well as of trespassing with the sheep herd and causing crop damage.

Authorities estimated the agricultural damage at several thousand shekels. The owner of the sheep herd received an administrative fine of 150,000 shekels for the trespass, and the vehicle used in the theft was confiscated. Both suspects were interrogated by the Coastal Border Police Central Unit and subsequently detained. This morning, indictments were filed against them for the alleged offenses.