Detectives from the Nahariya police station searched a suspect's private home Thursday for suspected illegal weapons, but instead of guns, they found a large hoard of ancient coins dating to Second Temple times, as well as other assorted ancient artifacts.
The coins appear to have been collected from numerous sites over a long period of time.
The police handed over the coins to the Crime Prevention Unit in the Israel Antiquities Authority, whose investigators will inspect the treasure trove and question the suspect regarding the places at which he found them. Police did not make clear whether the suspect will be charged with theft of antiquities.
The house searched is located in the Arab village of Mazra'a, near Nahariya. A relative of the suspect who was at home when police arrived said that the coins belong to his father.