Another Antiquities Theft Bust

The recovered antiquities
Photo source: Israel Antiquities Authority An Israel Antiquities Authority press release, an almost equivalent Arutz 7 news report, a ynet news flash, and an NRG (Maariv) news flash (all Hebrew) as well as other Israeli news sites report that in a search of IAA inspectors assisted by Hadera police, ten tons of ancient stones and architectural items (columns and column bases) that date to the Roman and Byzantine periods were recovered. These were recovered during a search, with a Hadera Peace Court search warrant, at a building materials storage site that belongs to a local Hadera citizen. The IAA suspects that the items were stolen from a Caesarea antiquities site.

The head of the Antiquities Theft Prevention Unit told Arutz 7 today that "lately we are witnessing a severe phenomenon where antiquities sites are destroyed by criminals that are dismantling ancient buildings and causing irreversible damage to our land's glorious ancient past and tradition."

The recovered antiquities were taken as legal evidence and have been placed in the IAA offices. The investigation continues.

Related Links:

• Antiquities recovered from Jerusalem souvenir shop (Feb. 26)
• Ashdod Museum Exhibit on Antiquities Theft (Feb. 27)