City councilman suspected of sending thugs to rob business rival
Unnamed member of Rehovot city council arrested with 8 others, accused of taking money and beating people; was identified via CCTV footage
A councilman in the central Israel city of Rehovot is suspected of sending a group of people to hold up a competing business, Hebrew-language media reported Wednesday.
Nine people in total have recently been arrested over the violent robbery last month.
According to the investigation, eight of them came to the unspecified business in Rehovot wearing masks, took money and violently attacked people at the place.
Investigators believe the group was sent by the councilman, who owns a rival business in the city. His name has not been published.
Israel Police earlier this month published security camera footage from the incident, urging the public to help identify them. One robber was seen holding a chair, while another was holding a stick.
That reportedly led to the suspects’ arrests, and they subsequently incriminated the person who sent them — allegedly the Rehovot councilman.
Many of the suspects are residents of Kiryat Malachi and Ashkelon in their 20s and 30s, according to reports.
Four of them were remanded Tuesday for three days, while three others were sent to house arrest, the reports said. The two remaining suspects will be brought for a remand hearing Wednesday at the Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court.