Over Shabbos, Border Police apprehended and arrested some 27 Palestinians who were attempting to steal between 20-24 tons of grapes and five tons of tomatoes from greenhouses in Shekef, a Jewish farming moshav that borders the Palestinian town of Beit Awa near Judea.

The officers thwarted the large-scale theft after seeing the continued activity of the thieves over the course of Shabbat morning, a time when the Jewish farmers do not work in the moshav. The Palestinians were stealing the produce directly from the greenhouses in the Moshav which is located in the regional council of Lachish. In addition to the 27 Palestinians who were arrested, an additional 40 Palestinian minors who were also involved in the heist were released immediately after being apprehended in accordance with the law pertaining to the arrest of minors.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)