The General Directorate of Internal Security Forces - Public Relations Division issued the following statement today, Saturday: "As part of the continuous monitoring conducted by the internal security forces to combat theft operations in various regions of Lebanon, and after numerous complaints in the Al-Kharoub region regarding the targeting of homes and businesses by unknown individuals, the latest incident occurred on January 6, 2024, when a gang executed a theft inside the home of an elderly woman after tying her up in the Mazboud area - Chouf. Immediately, orders were given to the Information Branch to conduct field procedures in the locations where the thefts took place. As a result of investigations and inquiries, the branch was able to identify the mastermind of the gang, known as K. A. (born in 2002, Syrian). On January 11, 2024, after surveillance, a patrol from the branch was able to arrest him in the town of Shaheem and seized the vehicle used in the thefts, which is a white Honda.
During the investigation, he confessed to the accusations against him and stated that, in collaboration with others, he executed multiple theft operations from commercial stores in the region by entering them using borrowed keys, stealing available food items and other goods, then selling them and dividing the proceeds among themselves. He also admitted that the elderly woman whose home they entered owned a vegetable shop near her house, and their plan was to steal the profits from her sales. They tied her up and stole a ring she was wearing, but when residents of the house discovered them, they fled. Additionally, they attempted to open several doors of commercial stores in the mentioned area but were unsuccessful. He also confessed that his gang carried out thefts of motorcycles in the towns of Daria and Ayn al-Hor.
The necessary legal actions were taken against him, and he was referred to the competent authority based on judicial instructions, with ongoing efforts to arrest all those involved."
The mastermind of a theft gang targeting commercial stores, homes, and motorcycles in the Al-Kharoub region is in the custody of the Information Branch.
