Shafa-Amr Municipality Raided, NIS 99,000 Stolen During Bank Holiday

Shafa-Amr Mayor Nahid Hazem revealed that the municipality's revenue collection department was broken into and robbed overnight, with thieves stealing approximately NIS 99,000 and checks stored in the department's safe. Hazem stated that the municipality is cooperating with the police investigation and reviewing its security measures to prevent future incidents.

While the stolen amount is not considered substantial for the municipality, Hazem emphasized the seriousness of the breach into the revenue department. Typically, the municipality does not keep large sums of cash on hand, as funds are regularly transferred to banks. However, a three-day Yom Kippur holiday closure of banks led to a larger cash balance remaining in the safe.

The safe, described as a daily storage unit rather than the main municipal vault, contained NIS 99,000 and checks. The perpetrators forced the safe open to access its contents. The municipality will cover the financial loss from the cash theft, while police investigate the break-in and attempt to identify those responsible. The stolen checks bear the municipality's stamp and cannot be easily cashed elsewhere. The municipality is working with police to document and address the stolen checks.

Following the incident, the municipality held a meeting with revenue department officials to review operational procedures and security protocols. Hazem confirmed that a guard is always present in the department and that the municipality plans to enhance security, including installing more cameras and surveillance systems around the municipal area. Police are examining existing security footage as part of their investigation.

Hazem noted that while this is not the first theft in the municipality, it does not reflect a general security decline in Shafa-Amr. The municipality is undertaking a broader project to install an advanced surveillance system covering city streets and institutions, funded by a special budget, to improve security and the ability to monitor future incidents. He reiterated ongoing coordination with the police, stressing that law enforcement is the police's responsibility, while the municipality focuses on its own procedural reviews.