In the service of the underworld: how the arson of Japanika in Givatayim was solved
Two young men from Rehovot set fire to the chain's branch last month and fled on a scooter. The motive for the act is control struggles between criminals that are spilling over into city streets. After they were arrested, a prosecutor's statement was filed, and an indictment will be filed soon.
The police announced on Wednesday that they have completed the investigation into the arson incident at the "Japanika" restaurant in Givatayim last month. Two 18-year-old men were arrested on suspicion of committing the act against the backdrop of a conflict between criminal organizations, and an indictment will be filed against them soon.
The arson incident occurred on July 12 in the early morning. Around 04:00, two masked individuals arrived at the restaurant riding a scooter. They poured flammable material at the front of the business, set the place on fire, and fled. No one was injured in the incident, but heavy damage was caused to the structure and property.
The investigation revealed that the background to the act is an ongoing conflict between criminal elements who are generating acts of violence across the country. Investigators managed to locate the suspects with the help of technological means, despite their attempts to cover their tracks.
At the end of July, the two residents of Rehovot were arrested. During searches conducted in their homes, items of clothing and other findings were discovered that directly link them to the execution of the arson.
Their detention was extended several times, and yesterday a prosecutor's statement was filed against them ahead of the formal indictment. The incident in Givatayim is not an isolated case directed at the restaurant chain recently. Earlier, another incident was solved in which a grenade was thrown at a branch of the chain in Kiryat Ono, also as part of struggles in the underworld.
