A major theft occurred at an IDF infantry training base in the Negev region late last week, with 18 containers full of military equipment stolen, according to Israeli media reports. The stolen items include rifle ammunition, bulletproof vests, night-vision apparatus, and specialized gear used by elite units. The incident, which took place at Base 906—one of three Negev bases of the School for Infantry Corps Professions and Squad Commanders—has raised serious concerns, particularly given the ongoing war.

While theft from IDF bases has been a recurring problem, the scale of this recent incident is particularly alarming. Channel 14 described it as “especially serious” due to the amount of equipment taken during wartime.

Military Police, in coordination with the Israel Police, have launched an investigation, but no arrests have been made so far. According to Naomi Kahn, director of the International Division of Regavim, a think tank focused on land and security issues, Bedouin thieves are likely responsible. “Past experience has taught us that there is no other direction to look in. Let’s put it that way,” Kahn told JNS.

For years, Regavim has been working to bring attention to the ongoing issue of theft from IDF bases. In some cases, trenches have even been built around bases to deter thieves. According to Kahn, entire military exercises have had to be canceled because Bedouin thieves were stealing not only spent ammunition but also metal targets, old vehicle frames, and other equipment. For a long time, a jurisdictional gap allowed thieves to operate with impunity, as IDF soldiers could not arrest civilians, and police were not permitted on military bases.

In response to the rampant thefts, the IDF and police formed a joint special unit in 2022 called “Magen HaNegev” (Negev Shield), which successfully confiscated 145 million shekels’ ($39 million) worth of military equipment and thwarted smuggling operations worth an additional 10 million shekels ($2.7 million). However, the unit was suspended when the war broke out on October 7, as its personnel were redeployed to other areas, leading to a resurgence in thefts.

Kahn emphasized the need to reinstate the Negev Shield unit, particularly in wartime, as weaponry is continuously cycled in and out of bases for repair and refitting. “It made a serious dent in all of this activity, and then as soon as the Oct. 7 war broke out, the unit was essentially suspended,” she explained, adding that the absence of the unit has allowed theft to return “with a vengeance.”

Kahn also called for greater accountability when thefts occur, a point echoed by Knesset member Yitzhak Kroizer of the Otzma Yehudit Party. Kroizer recently submitted a bill that would hold IDF commanders responsible if weapons were stolen from their bases, underscoring the seriousness of these security breaches. “There has to be not only responsibility when theft happens, but authority to stop it because it’s a security threat. Every man, woman, and child is endangered by this kind of thing,” Kahn warned.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)