A 28-year-old resident of Lakiya has been indicted in the Beersheba District Court for allegedly stealing a heavy machine gun from a military outpost near Kibbutz Kerem Shalom. Prosecutors describe the case as a serious security failure after the suspect reportedly infiltrated a tank staging area and dismantled a Browning machine gun from a tank marked with the Hebrew letter Gimel.

According to the indictment, the suspect arrived at the base around midnight with an accomplice and approached the tanks on foot. After removing the weapon, he discovered his accomplice had left, prompting him to hide the machine gun nearby. He then returned to the post and asked soldiers for help contacting a ride home, leading to police assistance and his return to Lakiya.

Several hours later, he allegedly came back in a vehicle, retrieved the hidden weapon, and transported it to Lakiya, where it was concealed at a friend's home. Prosecutors say he later destroyed his mobile phones to obstruct the investigation. The machine gun was handed over to security forces three days later, and the suspect now faces multiple charges including theft, illegal weapons possession, transportation of firearms, and obstruction of justice.