Image by vos iz neias

The van used in the kidnapping and murder of Hasidic real estate developer Menachem Stark has been found in Brooklyn — along with a cell phone that police think may lead to his killers.

The 2002 van with Pennsylvania plates was found in the Brownsville section on Tuesday, law enforcement sources told the Daily News.

A man was in the van but he was questioned and released.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

The van had apparently been meticulously cleaned since the January 2 abduction, but police still believe they may find some forensic evidence that could be useful in the probe.

Stark, 39, a father of seven and prominent member of the Satmar Hasidic community, was snatched from in front of his real estate office in Williamsburg at the height of a blizzard.

His charred body was found the next day in a Long Island dumpster.

Police are blaming the killing on Stark’s tangled business dealings

Separately, sources also said a cellphone found attached underneath Stark’s own car has been linked to a businessman who they believe could be responsible for the abduction.

Cops think the creditor may have hoped to scare Stark into paying off his debt.

He apparently died when his attackers sat on him during a fierce struggle inside the van, police sources said.

The Forward is free to read, but it isn’t free to produce

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse.

Readers like you make it all possible. We’ve started our Passover Fundraising Drive, and we need 1,800 readers like you to step up to support the Forward by April 21. Members of the Forward board are even matching the first 1,000 gifts, up to $70,000.

This is a great time to support independent Jewish journalism, because every dollar goes twice as far.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

2X match on all Passover gifts!

$90 → $180 $180 → $360

$360 → $720

Other amount