Honenu Attorney Menashe Yado; Photo credit: Honenu
Monday, August 17, 2020, 10:00 A Yitzhar resident is suing the Israeli Police for 45,000 NIS over losing his impounded vehicle. Honenu Attorney Menashe Yado filed a statement of claim on behalf of the owner with the Jerusalem Magistrates Court. The police impounded the claimant’s vehicle in April 2019, and did not return it on the date determined by law after the duration of the impoundment. When the claimant asked the police to return his vehicle, they did not reply to his request. The claimant filed a request to return his vehicle with the court. At the end of the proceedings, the court ruled that the police are obligated to return the vehicle to its owner. Only then did the police announce that the vehicle had disappeared.
From the statement of claim: “The defendant did not shorten proceedings and on the first date that they were required by the court to state their position they did not take the trouble to inform the claimant that his vehicle had disappeared. They left the claimant waiting for an additional six weeks without a vehicle and without informing him that he should not expect to receive his vehicle that had somehow disappeared and been lost.
“The claimant was stranded without a vehicle and [for a long time] could not find a suitable replacement vehicle that matched his financial capabilities and his needs. He finally found one and purchased it.”
The suit also related to the towing company, Shagrir (Ambassador Group Auto Services Ltd.), which was responsible for guarding the vehicle. “According to the defendant’s announcement to the court, Shagrir was negligent in guarding the vehicle and therefore Shagrir bears responsibility [for the loss of the vehicle] as a paid guard according to the Guardians Law.”
On the morning of Monday, August 17, the police replied to an inquiry by Galei Tzahal reporter Shahar Glick, stating that the vehicle had been destroyed in a scrapyard and that the matter was being examined.
Honenu Attorney Menashe Yado, who is representing the claimant: “The Israeli Police were supposed to return the claimant’s vehicle to him in October 2019. After we filed a series of requests, in March 2020 the police reported to the court that the vehicle had disappeared. The negligence is obvious, as is the damage. The police conduct and the circumstances are difficult to understand, and therefore the suit was filed.”