Two held for following IDF soldiers home, stealing their guns

Two Arab-Israeli men were arrested on Thursday for allegedly following IDF soldiers home from a train station in northern Israel, and later breaking in and stealing their M-16 rifles.

The two suspects, residents of Kfar Qara in their 20s, were accused of tailing soldiers — who were on their way home on leave — from the Binyamina train station to their homes in the area. The alleged thieves later broke into these residences, bringing to four the number of stolen army weapons within a five-week period, police said.

The men were caught red-handed with army rifles in their possession on Thursday night, the Ynet news website reported. Police believed the men planned on selling the guns on the black market for some NIS 50,000-70,000 ($13,000-$18,000) apiece, according to the report.

The two will be brought to the Haifa Magistrate’s Court on Friday for a hearing on extending their remand. Their homes were also being searched by police.

Police launched an investigation into the thefts over a month ago, after two soldiers who live in the area reported their weapons missing.

Police said that more arrests were likely, as the two men are believed to have additional accomplices.