Security forces caught the thieves and discovered that they had uncovered thousand-year-old sarcophagi in their attempt to rob the site.
Three burglars broke into the apartment of Beitar Jerusalem soccer team owner Barak Abramov in Tel Aviv but were arrested in the process.
In the largest copper theft incident in years, gangs stole a copper shipment headed for China from a port in the country's central region.
“This reckless act is In complete opposition to the guidance of the state attorney and the arrest law,” said defense attorney Etty Kharif.