Jerusalem – Two suspects from Jerusalem and Hadera are set to be indicted Friday on charges of stealing 30 Torah scrolls from synagogues across the South and the Central region.
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Police have been investigating several synagogue breakins in recent months, in which the suspects had covered up any signs of a robbery.
As a result, worshipers only discovered that the scrolls were missing when they went to take them out of the holy ark to read from during prayers.
Then the duo allegedly struck in the Negev region in November, breaking into synagogues in the villages of Yated, Shuva and Pri Gan, leading Southern District Police chief Cmdr. Yohanan Danino to set up a special investigative team.
The detectives obtained clues from the crime scene in Pri Gan that led them to a suspect in Jerusalem, who has past convictions for property offenses.
The suspect and another man allegedly gathered intelligence on the synagogues before the break-ins and analyzed levels of security before acting, preferring synagogues in small communities due to laxer security measures.
“These thefts harmed the holy places of Israel and cause enormous economic damage, as well as sorrow,” Danino said on Wednesday.
Who do you sell sifrei torah to? Like “Pst need a torah? – I have a spare”
BS”D
Sadly,one used to be able to buy them on EBAY. They claimed that a reliable sofer had checked them and would certify that they were Kosher.
Unfortunately, these thieves would not steal the Torahs, if there wasn’t a black market which exists, for stolen Torahs. A new Torah costs about $40,000, since it takes a scribe at least twelve months to write the entire Torah.
Anyone who desecrates or steals from a shul or Makom Kodesh should be severely punished. I hope the Israeli courts sentences them to 20-25 years.
Yeah, but surely the buyer would look into where they came from – a bit of due diligence – not just buy it off ebay or from someone saying pst….. – are you yotza kria from stolen torah?