This week, during the night when the road was almost empty, a police chase after a stolen car just half an hour from Jerusalem near the Hotsa Shomron crossing ended in high drama: the vehicle overturned, caught fire, and the driver – an illegal resident – was pulled from the flames while injured. Police say such incidents are part of a crime wave that undermines the safety of Jerusalem’s residents
Spike Strip, Crash – and Rescue Through Smoke and Fire
Border Police forces signaled the driver to pull over, but he accelerated toward the exit to the West Bank in an attempt to escape. A quickly deployed spike strip punctured two of the vehicle’s tires, but the driver continued at high speed. The chase ended when the suspect lost control at a traffic circle, struck a utility pole, and overturned. Within seconds, flames engulfed the vehicle’s front
Border Police officers rushed to the burning car, pulled the injured driver from the flames, and provided initial medical treatment until Magen David Adom paramedics arrived. He was taken to hospital for further care under police escort
Police said the suspect – a minor from the West Bank and an illegal resident – completed medical treatment and was transferred for questioning at the Tel Aviv North police station
(Owl Rescue in Jerusalem – Police Stunned by Car Discovery)
Jerusalem’s Car Theft Wave and Rising Tensions
Jerusalem District Police note that recent months have seen a sharp rise in car theft attempts, particularly in the northern and eastern neighborhoods of the city and on roads leading from Jerusalem to the West Bank. Some vehicles are stolen for dismantling, while others are used in criminal or security-related activity. Residents report growing tension, and in some areas, a decline in their sense of personal safety. Police are deploying patrols, ambushes, and surprise checkpoints, stressing that public cooperation is key to reducing the phenomenon
