An unusual incident that began in northern Israel ended Thursday evening in the heart of Tel Aviv’s upscale Tzahala neighborhood. Following an intensive investigation by Northern District police, Tel Aviv Yasam officers located a rare baby kangaroo that had been stolen earlier in the day from a zoo in the Beit She’an Valley.
The initial report reached Israel Police on Thursday morning, after zoo staff discovered that during the night two suspects had broken into the facility and stolen a baby albino wallaby, a rare and unique species.
As the investigation progressed, technological and intelligence-based operations led detectives to a specific address in north Tel Aviv. Yasam officers who entered the apartment were surprised to find the baby kangaroo being kept in poor conditions, alongside additional exotic animals. Professional teams and representatives of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority were immediately called to assess the animal’s condition.
During the raid in Tzahala, police arrested a 63-year-old suspect who was present at the scene. Police are expected to request an extension of his detention in court on Friday.