M-16 rifle snatched from soldier in TA robbery; police open investigation

By YAAKOV LAPPIN
A soldier was robbed of his M-16 rifle, which also served as a grenade launcher, during a robbery in Tel Aviv's southern Tikvah neighborhood in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Police said they do not yet know whether terrorists were behind the incident. The soldier said he was assaulted from behind while walking towards a train station by a man armed with a sharp object. The soldier sustained light head injuries, and the attacker made away with the soldier's weapon. The incident happened in the vicinity of a high-crime area in Tel Aviv. Police said they are keeping an open mind about the motive.