Suspect killed as stolen vehicle crashes into electric pole during police chase

A 44-year-old man was killed overnight when a stolen car carrying six suspects, including him, overturned during a police chase after a robbery near Dimona, police said Tuesday.

Officials said the suspects fled after attempting to steal a safe from a local gas station, and had earlier apparently robbed another station in the Arava area of the south.

As police gave chase, the suspects crashed into an electric pole, killing the man, who was not formally named.

The six, who police said were traveling in a stolen car with counterfeit license plates, were aged between 17 and 57 and were all members of the Bedouin community.

Police said that four of the suspects were injured moderately and the fifth, who was lightly hurt, tried to escape the crash site but was detained after a short chase on foot.

The five were taken for treatment at Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba and will be later questioned at the Dimona police station.