Chassis and vehicle parts suspected of being stolen: two chop shops destroyed in the southern Hebron Hills

Police and IDF forces operated overnight in the Dahariya area in the southern Hebron Hills against three sites suspected of being used for dismantling vehicles and trading in stolen parts. Two vehicle chop shops were destroyed, and regarding another site, an administrative procedure was opened that may lead to its demolition later on.

The operation was carried out by the Etgar unit of Lahav 433, in cooperation with the Judea Brigade, following a recent change in the administrative enforcement policy against vehicle chop shops in the area. As part of the change, a regional commander's order was updated, allowing for the advancement of demolition procedures against sites of this type. Numerous vehicle parts suspected of being stolen were found on site, as well as chassis of dismantled vehicles. The findings collected at the scene raised suspicion that the sites had been used for a long time for dismantling vehicles and trading in their parts.

The commander of the Etgar unit signed demolition orders for two chop shops that had already been declared as such in the past, and the demolition was carried out during the operation. At the same time, a declaration order was signed against a third chop shop, the matter of which will be examined as part of the continuation of the administrative procedure. The police estimate that chop shops of this type serve as a destination for stolen vehicles, which are dismantled shortly after the theft and their parts are sold separately. At this stage, no arrests were reported during the operation.