Police were called at about 16:00 on erev Sukkos after persons feared a driver had abducted children in Afula. A caller told a police dispatcher he saw the driver place a boy inside the trunk of a vehicle and drive off.

Police were quick to set up roadblocks and begin the search for the vehicle as per the caller’s description. The vehicle was found a bit later near Yokneam, and the driver was ordered to pull over as the vehicle was surrounded.

Police were surprised to learn the occupants were from a chareidi family that lives in Betar Illit. The child was placed in the trunk because they did not have sufficient space in the vehicle itself.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)