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VIDEO: 4 Stolen Sifrei Torah Returned By Mysterious Individual Overnight – Police Still Searching For Suspect


sto[VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

Bichasdei Hashem, the the four stolen Sifrei Torah from a Flatbush Shul were returned in the dead of night.

An individual was learning at the Shul late Thursday night (Friday morning), and left the building at around 1:30AM – only to find four large garbage bags place in front of the Shul. He opened one of them, and was stunned to find the four stolen Sifrei Torah!

Security camera footage (attached below) shows a man double-parking his vehicle in front of the building at around 1:00AM, and calmly carrying the four stolen Sifrei Torah out of his vehicle and placing them in front of the Shul. The man then drives off into the night.

Police are studying the footage and hope to apprehend the suspect(s).

“Boruch Hashem, this is truly an amazing resolution to the 72 painful hours where these four sifrei torah were stolen from their Shul. The community is truly overjoyed today that these four Torahs have been returned,” said Councilman David Greenfield.

In a story that was first published by YWN, four (Sephardic) Sifrei Torah were stolen from Rabbi Beyda’s Shul located at 808 Avenue O near East 8th Street on Simchas Torah night.

Security camera footage had captured the suspect entering Rabbi Beyda’s Shul, and photos and video of the suspect had been widely disseminated and gone viral.

The Sifrei Torah were used on Simchas Torah night for Hakafos before being placed back into the Aron Kodesh.

Mispallelim arriving to Shul on Simchas Torah morning were shocked to find that the four Sifrei Torah had been robbed overnight on Simchas Torah.

It is unknown how the suspect gained access to the safe.

Councilman Greenfield was the first to issue a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible and thanked the NYPD for their tireless efforts, “from the 66th Precinct to the Major Case Squad to the Brooklyn South Chief to the Commisioner’s office, everyone involved in these effort put every resource in and spend countless hours to make sure that this was resolved. Of course, so many volunteer groups and individual participated, as well, an we thank them for their efforts.”

Earlier on Thursday, YWN reported that the reward had been raised to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of the suspect.

The Flatbush Jewish Community Coalition, FJCC, has announced a $9,000 in addition to the $1000 reward previously offered by Councilman David Greenfield, to help find the thief.

Additionally, YWN published on Thursday that the NYPD have identified the suspect and are searching for him.

Anyone with information that could help in solving this crime is encouraged call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers tip line at 1-800-577-TIPS. The NYPD’s 66th Precint and Major Case Squad is actively investigating.

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9 Responses

  1. Reply to No. 1

    Given that he rescused the torahs left on the street, I suspect he can get a waiver form his rav/posek of any obligation to “fast”. Hopefully, the shul will find the resources to install better security for “torah safe” within the aron like many shuls have done.

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