For months, suspicions surrounded a small tire shop in southern Jerusalem. Elderly customers described inflated bills, invented faults and a growing sense of exploitation. What began as neighborhood whispers became concrete this week, after a coordinated operation by the Moriah station, the Kedem crime-fighting unit and the Tax Authority led to multiple arrests and exposed what investigators describe as a systematic fraud scheme.
How did the suspected scam at the Jerusalem tire shop actually work?
Investigators say the method was simple but effective: an elderly customer arrived for a routine service – an air check, a tire replacement or a basic wash. At that moment, the suspects allegedly “discovered” urgent faults that did not exist. Customers were pressured into costly decisions, charged thousands of shekels for unnecessary repairs, or billed for credit-card transactions they never approved. What should have been a minor errand became a serious financial blow.
How were elderly clients targeted as part of a wider pattern in the city?
Testimonies indicate that hesitation, trust and the natural vulnerability of seniors became central to the scheme. Some victims were reportedly escorted to a nearby ATM and instructed to withdraw large amounts of cash. Others later found repeated charges they had never authorized. The accumulating evidence suggests a structured, deliberate pattern rather than an isolated event.
During searches at the shop and the suspects’ homes, police seized tens of thousands of shekels, a vehicle, tire-shop equipment and cleaning gear. A parallel Tax Authority investigation points to suspected tax offenses exceeding one and a half million shekels. The suspects, residents of Silwan in their 20s and 30s, are expected to appear in court for a remand extension.
The Jerusalem District Police said: “We will continue to act decisively against fraud and exploitation, particularly when elderly residents are harmed, and we will use every tool available to bring suspects to justice.”
