Rehovot council member arrested, allegedly involved in violent robbery

Police are looking into the possibility that the city council member, who owns a rival business in the city, sent the thugs to rob the business.

By TOBIAS SIEGAL
Male hands arrested with handcuffs in Criminal concept (illustrative) (photo credit: INGIMAGE)
Male hands arrested with handcuffs in Criminal concept (illustrative)
(photo credit: INGIMAGE)
Police arrested nine suspects, including an unnamed sitting council member of Rehovot municipality, on suspicion of being involved in a violent robbery of an internet cafe in Rehovot last month. According to the investigation, the masked suspects arrived at the business last month, robbed the register and violently assaulted several customers.
Four of the suspects, residents of Ashkelon and Kiryat Malakhi, were brought to the Rishon Lezion District Court on Tuesday, where it was decided that they will remain incarcerated for three more days. The fifth suspect was released to a five-day house arrest
All suspects are reportedly in their 20s and 30s.
As the investigation progressed, and the suspects revealed more details about the background of the incident, police arrested four more suspects, two of whom were released on house arrest for five days and two were brought on Wednesday to the discussion at the Rishon Lezion District Court, where police requested to extend their arrest.
Israel Police released footage from security cameras of the robbery earlier this month, and urged the public to help identify the perpetrators, which is what eventually led them to make the arrests.

During interrogations, the name of a Rehovot city council member came up several times, raising suspicion of his involvement. Despite the sensitive nature of the allegations and the crime committed, police decided to arrest him together with the other suspects on Wednesday. 
The police are looking into the possibility that the city council member, who owns a rival business in the city, sent the thugs to rob the business.


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rishon lezion
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Rehovot