Police on the hunt for Abutbul, wanted in kidnapping, beating of yeshiva student who Netanya gangster suspected stole from him.
By BEN HARTMANPolice generic in english crime scene 370(photo credit: REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar)
Police are on the hunt for Netanya mob boss Charlie Abutbul in connection with the kidnapping and violent interrogation of a yeshiva student he suspected of having robbed him and associates.The Lahav 433 serious crimes division of the Israel Police has been carrying out an investigation into the allegations, which were cleared for publication only on Tuesday.According to police, after hundreds of thousands of shekels were stolen from a house in the North that belonged to associates of Abutbul, a yeshiva student from Jerusalem was lured to the area, where Abutbul’s men forced him into a car and drove him to an apartment in Netanya.Police said the yeshiva student was gagged and tied to a chair while Abutbul and his men beat him repeatedly over his entire body and threatened to kill him if he didn’t turn over the money.The police arrested eight suspects in the case, including Abutbul’s wife, Sonia. The Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday extended her remand until Thursday. It also extended the remands of Fadida and Hanania Gabai until November 4 and those of Waida Ayman and Itzik Gabai until November 6. The remaining three suspects are to have remand hearings on Wednesday.All face charges of kidnapping, false imprisonment, extortion and aggravated assault.The name of the yeshiva student was not cleared for publication, nor did police say whether he was involved in the burglary or why Abutbul let him go.Abutbul himself remains at large even though he has been one of the Israel Police’s top targets and under constant surveillance for years. It is unclear whether he is even in the country.The acting head of the Netanya-based Abutbul crime family has repeatedly emerged unscathed from police cases against him. In July he was arrested in connection with an attempt on the life of rival mobster Rico Shirazi but was released shortly afterward.
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