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Man Wanted for Attempted Carjacking Apprehended

39-year-old Nissan Ben Shitrit was arrested Erev Shabbos in connection with an attempted carjacking, with children in the car, Erev Pesach. A witness to the carjacking attempt spotted the man and immediately called Shomrim.

The original incident occurred early afternoon on April 14th, Erev Pesach, in front of Wine by the Case on Empire Boulevard. A Long Island Shliach was loading boxes of wine into his minivan while his child was in the car.

Suddenly, a man jumped into the driver’s seat and attempted to drive off. Fortunately, a truck had just stopped and blocked the would-be-carjacker from driving off. The Shliach immediately began wrestling with the would-be-carjacker. Once he successfully removed him from the car, the carjacker fled.

The suspect was described as a white male, possibly Israeli, in his late 30s or early 40s, of average height and build.

Shomrim were called a short while later and helped ensure that a police report was filed.

On Erev Shabbos, April 25th, Shomrim received a call from a witness to the carjacking attempt who said that he spotted the suspect. Dozens of Shomrim volunteers flooded the area and began following the suspect, while one called 911.

At one point the man ducked behind houses on Empire Boulevard between Kingston and Albany Aves., and as Shomrim volunteers followed him back he managed to disappear. A quick search revealed that he had broken into an abandoned house and attempted to hide on the first floor.

Police officers arrived on scene and immediately took the man into custody; after speaking with the carjacking witness he was placed under arrest.

When officers searched his pockets they found that he had mail from many different addresses with names that were not his, as well as identification cards of local residents and credit cards.

The suspect was identified as 39-year-old Nissan Ben Shitrit, who is originally from Israel and has been living in Crown Heights for a number of years.

Police sources said that Ben Shitrit will be charged with breaking and entering, trespassing, identify theft, possession of stolen property and was also being held on the attempted carjacking charge.

Police officers thanked and congratulated Shomrim for their great work, and praised them for their professionalism in handling the matter.

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36 Comments

  • this past thursday

    there was another car jacking/kidnapping this past thursday at around 6pm and the car was dropped of 15 minutes later in an ally after the victim was able to run off and call police

  • Looks like an Arab to me!

    I wonder if he is an Israeli Arab. Especially having stolen identieties, I think his name is not his real name! He looks like an Arab!!!!!!
    I hope they find out the truth!

    • Anonymous

      He is not an arab I acctually know him. When I was a child he used to come over for the shabbat meal. Dont judge.

  • unknown

    can’t trust anyone in crown heights today we must teach our children NOW! EVEN ISREALIS! NEVER LEAVE KIDS IN A CAR ALONE EVEN FOR 2 MINUTES: THEY ARE PRECIOUS AND TAKE TIME OUT TO TAKE THEM WITH YOU!! OR CALL STORE UP TO BRING IT OUT TO YOU. USE YOUR SECHEL AND THINK BEFORE!!

  • unknown

    only have always trust in the Aibeshta, Hakodosh Boruch hu. and bitochon baHashem.think wisely with sechel.

  • CHLEAKS.COM

    Thank you Shomrim volunteers for all that you do to keep us safe.
    May Hashem bless and protect you all.

    Thanks you to the victim of said crime for not giving up and keeping an eye out for this criminal and for taking action.

  • Agree with #4

    We only protect Yidden on our derech? What if he has a wife & family here? There was no need to show his face!

    And the other comment that he must be an Arab is truly comical.

  • person

    to comment number 4: This is a safety issue and people need to know about this. This person lives and is on our streets and he cant be trusted. Should this be swept under the rug and then when he succeeds in car jacking a car with baby on board what then? This is person is not in great mental state and he is a danger to himself and his surroundings especially behind the wheel of a car jacked car with children on board! The point of the article is not to shame or vilify anyone, the point is to educate the public and people should know who this is and to be careful! Remember what HApened to leiby kletsky Ob”m. Lo sakum pamayim tzoro!

  • Dan Lkaf Zchus

    Do we really know why he tried to move the car (that is ALL he did !). He may have wanted to park it in a better spot…He may have needed to use the car to get somewhere urgently!! There are hundreds of possible innocent explanations!!

    Why immediately jump to conclusions that he was trying to car-jack or kidnap???

    We MUST always be dan lkaf zchus!!

    Yes. precautions mUST be taken, but when viewing the actions of another person, do NOT become a mind-reader to interpret his “intentions”.

    • duh

      stop being so selfish. it was a mitzvah to get this guy. im sure that if it were YOUR car and child you would be singing a different tune.

      and if you wouldn’t, then you have bigger issues.

    • Ezra

      Are you absolutely out of your mind?! You do realize, don’t you, that it wasn’t his car? So what kind of nonsense is this about “wanting to park it in a better spot” or “using it to get somewhere urgently”? No “mind-reading” is needed, just plain common sense, which you apparently lack.

    • CHLEAKS.COM

      Surly with such a open and kind heart, you will now contact this person; assist him with his legal needs; invite him over to stay or eat at your home (?)

    • Dumb Dumb

      Perhaps we should also be Dan Lkaf Zchus someone who g-d forbids does rape. We can say that he just wants to bring more Jewish children in the world.

      I-D-I-O-T

    • Stunned

      If he were a non-Jew or a black person you would not be saying this. Double standard.

  • to comment 11

    I know the victim the father of the baby and the owner of the car. After speaking wit him I would like to clarify some points. 1) Nobody has any business moving anybodys car for any reason without permission 2) If he was just gonna move the car a few feat away for some strange reason, why did the owner of the car have to fight with him and wrestle him out of the car? Shouldnt he have just said im sorry and walked out of the driver seat?! There were other witnesses who witnessed this and backed up the father/owner of the vehicles story! it seems like his intentions were very clear on taking the car… even if you say he had an emergency and needed to go somewhere its no excuse!

  • look carefully

    number 11- you are too stupid for words. I wonder if you would be saying the same things if it were your kids in the car. IDIOT…get a brain please

  • Dan Lkaf Zchus

    Regarding my comment earlier and the responses…you just proved my point!

    When there is a child abuser, everyone screams that (1) he is presumed innocent (dan lkaf zchus), and (2) messirah (need to get hetter before reporting him to police).

    In this case, no one is claiming that the children were c”v molested, because if that were the case, see #1 and #2 above! Instead, he is “merely” endangering the children (rather than abusing them) – so he is guilty until proven innocent and mesirah does not apply.

    Do you not see the double standard here???

  • To dan lkaf zechus

    You need to learn when to be dan lkaf zechus, and when simple logic makes things obvious. This man is dangerous- all should know about it and he should be off the streets.

  • To Dan Lkaf Zchus

    I wish I could like your comment. I wish the Rabbonim would issue a Psak that every criminal (as opposed to civil) offense must be reported.

  • to dan lekaf zechus

    You are mixing the two cars up. In the case of the alleged child molester we don’t get to see the evidence.. In this case there is a complainer/victim and witnesses who saw this and have come forward and positively identified this man. This man jacked a car with babies inside and only failed because the children’s father acted bravely and stopped him in the nik of time. Ask yourself what if their mother would be with kids instead of the father? Would she be able to strong arm this man out the car? What we would have is children abducted by a car jacker who has emotional issues and who knows what the out cone will be.

  • friend of nissan

    Also there are quite a large population of vindictive hateful people in the CH community that lie and publicly ruin peoples names on whims with no concern for halacha or there fellow jews. This is unfortunate and even more so that more prominent families feel more privileged to destroy people they dont like in CH. It is highly likely that the “witness” may have identified the wrong man by mistake or for ulterior motives.

    • Cant be Confused with the Facts?

      Are you thick? Maybe just delusional?

      This Nissan fellow is not a nice guy, he is a chronic drug abuser who squatted in a rental apartment of a local family and did not pay rent in years.

      When he was taken into custody they found OTHER PEOPLES mail, identifications and credit cards in his possession. Those people DID NOT give it to him.

      The double standard in this community is appealing. If someone commits a crime – be it Jew or non-Jew, it should all be made public, especially in this case where this guy put a baby at risk.

      Yes he may not be well, but the Halocho of Bfnei Eiver comes first…

  • ben rav

    he has lived in c h meany years nobody cares for him only i saw him last weak at aliya and i said he has a problem he must have fallen on hard times only i was not able to SE how Sirius it was or what to do if he needs help the community must help him can we say yodainu lo sofach hadom haze he is actually a veary quiet nice yid

  • I agree with Dan Lkaf Zchus

    It is an unproven ALLEGATION. The evidence purported from the so-called witnesses is hearsay. Meanwhile, it is loshon harah for us to yak about it.

  • Incredulous

    I can’t believe the utter stupidity of some people. You morons should not be let out without a caregiver. He was caught with other people’s credit cards and ID etc yet you think this guy is a tzaddik? You worry about Loshen Hora? You are all clearly as crazy as he is. I’m reading this and wonder who of my former neighbors are so incredibly naive and stupid. I don’t recall seeing this creep in Crown Heights, but then again, the place is full of wackos and after a while they all look the same.

    I think all you do-gooders, especially the ones who are so worried about LH should adopt this creep and support him. Maybe then, decent folks will be safe.

  • Nissan's Friend

    I worked with him out of town for a few months. He was nice, honest sincere and personable. I am shocked if this were true, and his many friend would be shocked as well.
    I cried when I saw the picture. I am praying and believing that this is not true. Nissan helped me on a number of occasions as well.

  • K

    I suspect he has mental health issues. In a civilized world (and al pi Torah: chersh shoteh v’katan – pgi’asam ra’ah) we do not criminalize the mentally ill who need help rather than punishment since they are not responsible for their actions.

    He could have been a “normal” fellow who stopped taking his meds and fell down the spiral of psychotic illness.

    Although I do NOT agree with the posting by “Dan Lkaf Zchus” (sounds like Milhouse). I also do NOT agree with the lynch mob mentality of others.

    Regarding the comments about Loshon Hora there are many halachos in this regard which those of us who study the seforim of the Chofetz Chaim are very familiar with (such as the application of “l’toeles” etc.).

    It seems that, sadly, some chassidim, for whatever reason, are oblivious to the entire issur of loshon horah, rechilus and motzi shen rah. Hashem yerachem, v’shomer psa’im Hashem.

  • Maxime, from FRANCE

    J’ecris en Français,

    Exhiber un innocent de cette manière, et le condamner d’avance est une honte, !

    Ces méthodes, visibles seulement à New York, rappellent les temps maudits de l’INQUISITION !

    Tout homme est d’abord présumé INNOCENT.

  • SHJO007@gmail.com

    to hum it may concern.

    Nissan was working with me till couple of weeks before the incident.

    I can only say he is honest person and a giver.
    we worked together on and off for the last six month’s.
    I know him for this short period of time.
    Not longer like some other friends of his
    that I met in CH and will all state the same.
    knowing Nissan professionally and personally.
    I was aware of all the problems he had.
    I never thinked it will lead to that.
    but, I know that after loosing is driving licence couple years ago he was unemployed for long time he had a room and was supporting him self working here and there and with lots of help from good friends he managed.
    things went down hill when he went to Florida and then Arizona 3 months ago when he came back he had no money and no place to put is head.

    he was coming to work with me on and off.
    as every body know working on and off will not pay the bills and this is the only problem me and Nissan had.(Professional problems)

    Personally and looking at him beyond is problems.
    I was very fond of him as he is a good person.

    meeting is friends and talking with them about Nissan’s problem all said that he is emotionally burnt.
    and he should go back to Israel cos there is nothing and nobody here for him.

    call me naive but,
    I really think I could help him find is way.

    I will also mention Nissan owed me $3000
    $2000 he was able to make the arrangement for me and pay me back before we parted ways.
    he still how me $1000 that its probably lost and giving the fact that from the inside he ricing out to me(He remember only my number)
    I will need to at least try to make it comfortable for him on the inside.
    Having money to buy in the Kantian and buy calling minute to call out and go visit him.
    what more I can do?

    I’m not making excuses for him.
    and I’m not judging him hither.

    If any other want to join me and help Nissan.

    contact me via email.