Israeli security forces on Wednesday detained two Bedouin residents of the Negev on suspicion of stealing some 26,000 rounds of ammunition from a military base.
The ammunition, which was stolen from a bunker in the Tze’elim training base in the south on Tuesday, was recovered during the arrest operation.
Theft of firearms and ammunition from IDF bases has been a long-standing problem and is a main source of weapons for Israel’s criminal underworld. The military has invested significant sums in new security measures at its facilities to prevent such incidents.
In November, authorities arrested several suspects in a large-scale theft of ammunition from a military base on the Golan Heights.
Some 70,000 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition and 70 rifle grenades were stolen from the Tznobar training base near Katzrin.
In October, the IDF said some 30,000 rounds of ammunition were stolen from the Sde Teyman airbase near Beersheva.
