London – Police: Increase In “Jew-on-Jew” Crimes Attributed To Gambling Problem In UK Orthodox Communities

London – “Jew-on-Jew” crimes in Golders Green and Manchester are on the rise, and authorities say the crimes are a result of gambling problems among Orthodox Jews. To date, police have investigated a break-in at Beth Shmuel Synagogue in Golders Green; the theft of a Volvo worth £3,500; and a robbery at the home of a Jewish charity director, according to a report in The Jewish Chronicle (http://bit.ly/T7bXCh).

The car thief had intended to sell the Volvo and use the earnings to further his gambling habit, while the burglar intended to pay off his £30,000 debt to an Israeli gang. Last month, three teenagers, ages, 17, 18 and 19 confessed to breaking in to the Beth Shmuel Synagogue, swiping the keys to a vehicle parked outside, and stealing and selling the car for gambling money.

“Poker is a problem among yeshivah students,” said Rabbi Dr. Chanan Tomlin of the Kids Trust Charity located in Salford. “There is a poker culture among these young Jews. Some of them are going to casinos and some are addicted to scratch cards.”

Barnet Police Detective Allen Windsor, who worked on the Beth Shmuel Synagogue case, said that burglaries at Jewish properties have long been a problem, but that there is a recent trend of Jews committing the burglaries. “It does happen that people steal from their own communities,” Detective Windsor explained. “It’s partly because of the opportunities. It’s disgraceful that that these were three young Jewish lads breaking into a holy place and taking advantage. They knew how to get in and how to carry it out. It’s quite shocking.”

The detective noted that the Jewish community was instrumental in identifying the suspects in the break-in, which allowed for a quick resolution to the case. “When we went down to the synagogue to view the CCTV, the community had just finished their morning prayers,” said Detective Windsor. “People were approaching me and my colleague to give us information to help catch them. People were happy to come forward. In some communities, that does not happen.”

Rabbinic authorities were consulted regarding whether or not to turn in the three youths responsible for the break-in to law enforcement, and the rabbis ruled that the criminal justice system should deal with the teenagers.