Police in Israel say that they have arrested 44-year-old Amir Tias, who had offered to help them locate bodies following Hamas’ surprise attack only for him to steal cash and a trailer instead.
According to police, Tias appeared at the site of the Nova music festival massacre just days after it was attacked by Hamas terrorists and asked army personnel if he could help.
Over 260 festivalgoers were killed by terrorists in the massacre on October 7, and several more attendees were taken hostage that same day. Tias reportedly arrived at the site offering aid on October 11.
The Jerusalem Post says that army personnel allowed him on the premises. Shortly later, a report was made that a trailer from the site’s parking lot had been stolen.
Surveillance video allegedly shows Tias attaching his pick-up truck to the trailer and towing it away. Police were able to track down the stolen trailer to where it was parked, just outside a business that belonged to Tias in the city of Beersheba.
Found in the stolen trailer were various documents and $10,000 belonging to the music festival’s organizers, according to The Times of Israel. The trailer was returned to its legal owners following its recovery.
“This is a defendant who took advantage of the most difficult hour of the State of Israel, in the midst of a horrific war in which more than one thousand civilians and members of the security forces were killed,” an indictment against Tias reads, according to The Times of Israel.
“He arrived at the area where Israeli civilians were massacred, entered the area under the pretext that he came to assist the security forces in locating missing persons, taking advantage of the difficult circumstances where the security forces were busy locating bodies and missing people, broke into the trailer and stole it from the place,” the indictment adds.
Tias remains in police custody and police have reportedly requested that his detention be extended until the legal proceedings against him are over.
He faces various charges including vehicle theft, criminal trespassing and burglary.
