A serious omission at the Zebulon station in the Coastal district of the police: The Police Investigations Department (MACHS) is investigating an incident that occurred today (Monday), in which a police officer at the station allegedly abandoned his personal weapon in the restroom, and a citizen who entered the restroom stole it and hid it outside the station, until he was pressured by the forces that were called to the scene and confessed to the theft.
The story itself unfolded when the resident of Kiryat who was summoned for questioning at the Zebulon station, entered the bathroom while waiting for his questioning and to his astonishment he found in the bathroom a police weapon belonging to the station officers. The man did not think twice, collected the weapon, and hid it outside the station, when immediately afterwards he returned to the interrogation to which he was summoned.
As soon as the issue of the disappearance of that officer’s weapon was revealed, special forces were called to the scene and the exit from the station was blocked. The suspect, who was under investigation in another matter, was stressed by the commotion surrounding the affair, admitted to the disappearance of the weapon, and went to bring it back from the place where he hid it. Following the incident, the suspect was arrested and brought to the Kiryat Magistrate’s Court, which released him, but delayed the release due to an appeal filed by the police.
The District Court overturned the decision of the Magistrate’s Court and extended the suspect’s detention until Wednesday. The suspect’s lawyer, Adv. Tomer Neve said in response: “This is an incident that is being investigated by the police investigation department. Once the investigation is finished, the matter will be forwarded to the competent authorities for review.”
The Israel Police stated: “Following a report by a police officer serving at the Zebulon station that he forgot his personal weapon in the bathroom at the police station, the police opened an investigation. The suspect in the act was arrested yesterday, and led the police to the location of the weapon. Following the incident, an investigating officer was appointed to investigate the circumstances of the case.”