Bar Kupershtein After Scooter Stolen During Siren: “Miracles and Wonders Happen to Me”

Former Hamas hostage Bar Kupershtein returned to his Tel Aviv apartment during a missile alert on Tuesday evening only to discover that his home had been broken into and his electric scooter stolen.

Kupershtein, who spent nearly two years in Hamas captivity after being abducted on October 7, has become known in Israel for speaking publicly about faith and gratitude since returning home. Even after the theft, his response reflected the same outlook that has guided him since his release.

The incident occurred as sirens sounded across central Tel Aviv during missile fire from Iran. Kupershtein ran to the safe room in his apartment to take shelter. When he emerged minutes later, he realized someone had entered his home and taken his scooter.

“I ran to the safe room in my home. I came out a few minutes later and someone had taken advantage of the situation to steal my scooter,” Kupershtein told police.

Rather than reacting with anger, Kupershtein described the moment with humor in a post he shared on social media. “As you know, all the miracles and wonders happen to me. There was a siren, I went into the safe room, and some nice guy decided to break into my home and steal my scooter,” he said.

Kupershtein added that the situation quickly took an unexpected turn. “But he didn’t know I had an AirTag on the scooter, and thanks to the amazing Israel Police they chased him and caught him within minutes. He’s handcuffed on the floor, and the scooter is with me.”

Using the tracking device attached to the scooter, police officers from the Lev Tel Aviv station in the Yarkon district launched a search in the surrounding area. According to police, officers soon located the suspect a few streets away riding the stolen scooter. “Officers from the Lev Tel Aviv station located the suspect a few streets away riding the scooter and arrested him,” a police source said.

The suspect, described by police as an Israeli Arab resident of Jisr az-Zarqa, was taken in for questioning. The scooter was recovered and returned to Kupershtein shortly afterward. Authorities said charges are expected to be filed against the suspect in the coming days.

The incident marks the second time in recent months that Kupershtein has experienced a theft since returning home.

In December, he discovered that his car window had been smashed and his phone stolen while the vehicle was parked in Holon. At the time, Kupershtein again chose to respond with a message of faith rather than frustration.

“Thank God for everything. We need to look at the half-full side of the glass,” he told followers. “Thank you that what I’m dealing with now is going to the police station to file a complaint, and not being in tunnels wondering what I’ll have to eat.”

Kupershtein was working as a security guard at the Nova music festival on October 7 when Hamas terrorists attacked the site. Although he could have fled, he remained behind to help the wounded and assist others trying to escape before he was captured.

He spent approximately 738 days in Hamas captivity before returning to Israel as part of a hostage deal. Since then, he has spoken frequently about trying to rebuild life while maintaining a sense of faith and perspective.