Gas station
Gas stationKobi Gideon/Flash 90

Israel Police, in cooperation with military police, arrested 8 suspects this morning (Tuesday) on grounds that they systematically stole gas cards from the IDF, then used them to extract gasoline at stations for free and then resell the it illegally.

The investigation into the incidents started after military police asked the Israel police to look into the matter. They proceeded to conduct a covert investigation over an extended period.

As the investigation continued, it became clear that an organized group was systematically stealing gas cards from the IDF, using these to fill up gas tanks, and transferring the gasoline to pirated gas stations in the Bedouin-inhabited areas of the Negev desert, reselling it there.

Vehicles that are suspected to have been used for the thefts were confiscated, in addition to army gas cards, license plates suspected to be false, gas pumps, canisters and thousands of liters of gasoline.