IDF and Police Form Special Unit to Combat Surge in Military Weaponry Theft
Police and the IDF have upgraded a joint coordination unit into an operational force to combat the alarming surge in military weaponry thefts reaching criminal networks.
IDF and Police Form Special Unit to Combat Weapons Theft
Faced with alarming data regarding the theft of weaponry from the IDF and its influx into city streets since the outbreak of the war, authorities have decided to escalate the fight against the phenomenon. Police and the IDF have agreed to expand the joint coordination unit between the police and the Military Police Criminal Investigation Division (MPCID), transforming it into a specialized operational unit.
While the unit previously served solely as a coordination body, it will now be equipped with operative, intelligence, and field capabilities. The primary goal of the upgraded unit is to focus efforts on exposing the sources of leakage at IDF bases and staging areas, thwarting the transfer of weaponry to criminal and hostile elements, and closing smuggling routes from the front lines into Israeli cities.
Escalation in Grenade Incidents and Criminal Weaponry Use
Behind the decision lies an unprecedented leap in the scope of criminals utilizing standard military weaponry. Statistics reveal that prior to the war, from January 1 to October 6, 2023, only 18 incidents of fragmentation grenade throwing were recorded nationwide. Within less than three months, from October 7 through the end of 2023, that number surged to 57 incidents.
A special police report submitted to the District Court revealed that during 2024, another sharp increase occurred, averaging more than 2.5 fragmentation grenade explosions per day. Since the beginning of the current year through October 2026, over 600 grenade-throwing incidents have been recorded across the country, alongside 882 grenades seized by police forces just before activation or concealment.
Police Criticism of Military Response
The flooding of streets with weaponry has sparked severe anger within police leadership. A senior police official familiar with the data pointed an accusing finger at the military:
The army is working at half capacity and doing far too little considering the data. We are conducting proactive operations to locate and seize stolen weaponry, but everything currently falls squarely on our shoulders.
Another official warned of a future nightmare scenario, noting shoulder-fired missiles that have fallen into criminal hands:
What guarantees that those stolen shoulder-fired missiles won't end up in the hands of terrorists, leaving us facing a missile aimed at a bus? It is as if everyone is just waiting for a disaster.
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit did not provide a response to the report.
