The antiquities robbers were caught red-handed while trying to excavate a 2,000-year-old archaeological site ► Watch

(haipo) - After weeks of surveillance, 5 suspects, some of them residents of Haifa, were caught while trying to rob an archeological site that is about 2000 years old, in the north of the country.

◄The antiquities pirates during the capture • Watch

Near Ein Mahal in the north

Inspectors of the Antiquities Authority's Robbery Prevention Unit, in cooperation with the police of the Northern District, captured the suspects while they were attempting to commit the robbery at the archaeological site located near the village of Ein Mahal in the Northern District, which dates back to Roman-Byzantine times.

"We ambushed them and caught them red-handed"

Nir Distelfeld, inspector of the Antiquities Authority's robbery prevention unit in the northern region, told Lahi Fe: "Our team diligently scans and monitors everything that is happening in the antiquities areas in Israel. We recently noticed robbery excavations that took place illegally around the village of Ein Mahal. From that moment we launched an operation, until we managed to capture the robbers. The operation lasted about three weeks, until last weekend we decided to conduct an initiative, to catch the robbers," says Distelfeld.

"We ambushed them, and as soon as we recognized that they had started digging, I called for help from the North District Police, and led the policeman who came to help and together, we caught them red-handed."

"Suspects are digging at the site"

The police stated that on the same day (Friday 12/5/23), around 18:00 p.m., a report was received from the Antiquities Authority's Robbery Prevention Unit inspectors, regarding a number of suspects who are at a declared excavation site and are excavating at the site. "Policemen from the North District were rushed to the scene, who, together with the inspectors of the Antiquities Authority, led to their arrest."

Massive damage avoided

Distelfeld further says: "The site where the robbers tried to dig is called "Einat Sho'a". There was a water source at the place and a large settlement around it. Around the site, the researchers identified findings from the prehistoric period to the Ottoman period, but the main settlement in the place was in the Roman-Byzantine periods.

Long and branching hiding caves were also found on the site. It is likely that the excavation of the hiding caves of Eynat Sho'a was related to the stormy events of the Jewish revolts against the Romans - dozens of caves were dug in the Galilee in preparation for the revolt, which in the end did not reach this region. "Fortunately, the hiding caves, which are among the largest in the area, were not damaged during the recent robbery incidents. The activity actually prevented enormous damage."

Tors, hammers, quarry tools and metal detectors

"Next to the cave were tools that the robbers planned to use - sledgehammers, hammers, quarrying tools and metal detectors. In front of the cave you can see medium-sized ancient quarries. These were, apparently, storage cells. It is possible that the suspects who were caught had time to 'clean' these ancient cells of finds before No antiquities were found in the search of the suspects' bodies, but the matter is still under investigation, with the suspects detained for further investigation at the Antiquities Authority."

Eli Escozido, director of the Antiquities Authority:

"Due to the special and comfortable nature of the Land of Israel, it was inhabited throughout almost all periods. Accordingly, the amount of antiquities sites in the land is large - almost unimaginable. It is our responsibility to protect them and we need the public's help. In any case of theft of antiquities - please report to us."