Anti-tank mines, assault rifle ammunition stolen from IDF base

Military weaponry was stolen from an armory on a base in northern Israel last night or this morning, the army says.

The stolen equipment includes anti-tank mines, ammunition for assault rifles, explosive charges and detonators.

This morning, soldiers serving on the base discovered signs that someone had broken into the armory, and weaponry was also found to be missing.

“The Military Police and [the base’s] commanders opened an investigation into the incident,” the army says.

For years, the army has been struggling to stop thieves from making off with military-grade weaponry. The guns, explosives and — occasionally — missiles that are stolen from army bases generally make their way to organized crime and terrorists.

Earlier this year, after nearly three dozen M-16 assault rifles were stolen from a base in southern Israel, the army said it would be investing additional funds into better security systems for military armories.

— Judah Ari Gross