A Netanya resident in his 30s was arrested about ten days ago and has since been released to house arrest. He is the main suspect in a bicycle battery theft operation in Central Israel involving dozens of children.

The man allegedly enlisted tens of children in the center of the country, paying them NIS 150 for every stolen electric bicycle battery they brought him. He then repackaged the batteries, valued in Israel at about NIS 2,000, and sold them as a sharply reduced price of NIS several hundred.

Yarkon District police over recent weeks received many calls reporting stolen bicycle batteries which led to launching an investigation. After two or three of the youths were detained they began explaining the details to authorities.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)