Police officers caught a group of illegal residents "red handed" stealing weapons from a military base in the south of the country and arrested them, Israeli Police reported on Sunday.

An investigation by Israeli Border Police followed a group of suspects who intended to reach a military base in the south of the country, break into warehouses, and steal weapons and military equipment.

Confirmation of the groups movement on Thursday led to a joint operation by detectives and Border Police soldiers, along with the police air unit and additional police forces.

During the operation, four suspects were observed arriving at the shooting ranges of the base and loading equipment into bags. The police moved into action and managed to arrest three suspects, after a chase in cars and on foot.

The police caught the suspects with military equipment in their possession

The police found an army bag, ammunition, and bullet casings in the suspects' possession.
Army equipment recovered by the police after it was stolen from an army base by illegal residents in the south of Israel (credit: POLICE SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
Army equipment recovered by the police after it was stolen from an army base by illegal residents in the south of Israel (credit: POLICE SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
The three suspects, brothers aged 16, 26, and 37, residents of Yata in the West Bank, without legal residence permits to be in Israel, were transferred together with the confiscated equipment for further investigation at the police's Central Unit.