![Israeli soldiers patrol near the Israel-Gazan border](https://images.jfeed.com/cdn-cgi/image/format=jpeg,fit=contain,width=900/2024/08/14/7b5f63b0-5a2a-11ef-89f4-5d5f07a0d2ff__h268_w400.jpg)
A dangerous M4 assault rifle was brazenly stolen from an IDF vehicle in Jaffa today, escalating fears of weapons falling into criminal or terrorist hands.
Two soldiers left their firearm unattended in their unlocked vehicle before a suspect snatched it in a lightning-fast heist.
This theft is the latest in an alarming trend of military-grade weapons disappearing from IDF control. Since the war began, a shocking array of lethal hardware has vanished from southern bases, including LAW anti-tank missiles, high-explosive mortar rounds and cutting-edge ground force defense systems.
The IDF's Southern Command has compiled a troubling inventory of missing armaments, revealing the true scale of this security nightmare.
In June, two men were charged with infiltrating a paratrooper base and raiding its armory. Now, with weapons being plucked from vehicles in broad daylight, authorities face a race against time to prevent these arms from being used in potential attacks.
Police have launched an urgent manhunt, but the weapon and suspect remain at large.
* Kann News contributed to this article.