Brooklyn, NY – Flatbush Shomrim has issued a community wide alert following a recent rash of burglaries at a handful of local Shuls, with thieves making off with close to ten silver ataras.
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With the price of silver hovering above $28 per ounce, silver ataras have risen considerably in value. An atara is generally made up of four or more rows of silver, with each row valued at approximately seventy dollars.
“Especially in this economy, people are very desperate to make ends meet,” Chaim Deutsch, founder of Flatbush Shomrim told VIN News. “The culprit may not be someone who looks like a criminal and it could even be someone who is familiar with the Shul.”
To date all the thefts have taken place within a two mile radius and there have been no signs of illegeal entry at any of the Shuls which are located in Brooklyn’s 63rd, 66th and 70th police precincts. It is unknown if the ataras are being sold as is or being melted down and sold for scrap value. In some cases entire taleisim have been stolen, while in others just the ataras have been taken.
Shomrim are considering the possibility that the culprit has hidden in a restroom, a closet or some other unnoticed area so that they can have free reign of the Shul after it is locked up for the night. They are asking people to please check any potential hiding places before they close up the Shul and for safety reasons are recommending that at least two people take responsibility for locking up the facility.
“We are asking everyone to be extremely vigilant and to report any suspicious activity,” said Deutsch. “We also recommend video surveillance cameras, both inside and outside Shuls.”
Flatbush Shomrim is currently in possession of three taleisim without ataras that were dropped off at a Brooklyn Shul and is requesting that anyone whose tallis was stolen contact them at their non-emergency number 718-338-9453 in the hopes that they can identify their tallis.
Anyone with any information regarding these thefts is asked to call Shomrim at 718-338-9453. For any crimes in progress please call Shomrim’s emergency number, 718-338-9797
if they left the tallis and only took the atara that is pretty wild. it takes a lot of time to remove an atara…ask any talis place when they take it off one talis to put on another or when the talis needs cleaning. getting it off is not so simple
Have the thefts been on shabbos or during week? Don’t leave ur tallis in shul during week. If you have an eiruv dont leave it even shabbos
just follow the rules “see something say something”
How many shtieblach can afford to have not just one but TWO security people to come into the shul after maariv to check the premises for silver gannavim. Wouldn’t it be cheaper for yidden to not leave their taaelsim in shul or if they do, make sure they are locked in a shtender or cabinet.
How about buying a regular talis and giving the rest of the money to feed the poor.
many atoros are attached with snaps nowadays to enable easy washing. Easiest is to keep itat home like my husband…..
Vus is the inyan of wearing silver ataras on talesim anyway? If they are required or even preferred, why are they not worn also on a tallis katan?
Most people have a regular tallis for weekdays and a fancy one with silver ataros for Shabbos and Yom Tov. Leave the weekday tallis in shul and the Shabbos one you wear to shul or carry it if you have an eruv.
Lets hope that it is not stores selling the atoros buying it back from the thieves.
This has happened in the past.
Leaving Tefillin in shul can also be a problem! Chas Vshalom a fire can break out and destroy peoples Tefillin costing thousands of dollars
I know of two people who were just arrested yesterday. They were caught on videotape stealing the silver ataros. These 2 individuals are nebach drug addicts and were pawning the silver to buy drugs. They have very serious problems and I pray that they get the help they need.