Three residents of the southern Arab of Laqiya were arrested Friday night after attacking and attempting to kidnap a young woman, and breaking through a police barricade as they tried to escape the area.
The three Bedouin, ages 19-26, attempted to kidnap a resident of Kiryat Malakhi who was an acquaintance of one of them. Arriving at the young woman's apartment building, the acquaintance tried to force her into their vehicle.
After the young woman fought their attempts, the three began to run away. As they escaped, they attacked a passerby, robbing him of his mobile phone. Police officers were called to the scene following a report of screaming and violence near the young woman's apartment building. They saw the suspects escaping in their vehicle and began chasing after them. It was during this chase that the suspects broke through a police barricade.
At another barricade on their journey southward, shots were fired at the three and they stopped, escaped their vehicle, and were caught after being chased on foot near Pora. Their vehicle has been confiscated as part of the investigation, and the suspects will be brought to the Ashkelon Magistrates Court for an extension of their arrest.
Chief Superintendent Mevorach Avraham, who commands the Kiryat Malakhi police station, said, "This is a series of the most serious crimes, including an attempted kidnapping, a robbery, and endangerment of human lives, which ended without injury. That happened thanks to the quick response by the police, which included professional cooperation between police stations to work determinedly to reach the suspects, until they succeeded in laying hands on them and arresting them."
"We will work against the suspects to bring them fully to justice, for the purpose of distancing them from the victim of their crime as well as from the public, in order to continue to ensure their welfare and security."