Suspect Arrested in Serial Theft of Tefillin from Synagogues
About a week and a half after a report in Bahadrei Haredim exposed a wave of thefts of tefillin and other holy items from synagogues in Ashdod and other cities, police arrested the main suspect. Investigators say the man, a resident of Israel’s central region, is believed to have operated systematically at several synagogues and stolen tefillin, mezuzot and ritual objects worth tens of thousands of shekels.
Ashdod police led the investigation, which received significant resources after numerous complaints raised suspicion of a serial thief operating in multiple cities. Police suspect the thefts took place, among other places, in Ashdod, Beit Shemesh, Modi'in Illit and Netivot, taking advantage of the fact that synagogues are open to the public for long hours during the day. According to people familiar with the case, investigators collected video footage and additional material that helped substantially advance the probe and led to the arrest.
Some of the alleged stolen ritual items were also recovered during the operation. Police hope that as the case develops, more items, including tefillin and mezuzot taken in recent weeks, can be located and returned to their owners.
The arrest brought relief to worshippers and victims, who said the thefts had left them feeling unsafe in synagogues for weeks. Several complainants said the stolen tefillin had deep personal and emotional value, with some in use for many years. After criticism of the police, those who complained praised the intensive work that led to the suspect’s arrest. They had remained in regular contact with the Ashdod station, and local activist Avrimi Zilberstein helped gather complaints and coordinate with police. Senior officers, including Ashdod station commander Chief Superintendent Ronen Amram and community policing commander Adir Logasi, closely oversaw the case. Police stress that it is still too early to say the suspect is responsible for all reported tefillin thefts, and investigators are now checking whether he acted alone, was involved only in some incidents, or whether others used the same method in different cities.
