Cagliari, "fake Carabiniere" gang dismantled: 3 arrests after 15 hours of shadowing

A complex operation of the Carabinieri has led, in the last few hours, to the arrest of three men from Campania specialized in scams and extortion against the elderly using the technique of “fake Carabiniere”The intervention was concluded at the port of Cagliari, where the soldiers of the Companies of Ghilarza, Mogoro and Oristano, with the support of the Cagliari Company, managed to stop the suspects as they attempted to board a motor vessel headed to Naples. According to investigators, the three individuals – already known to law enforcement – ​​presented serious evidence of guilt.

Two of them were arrested for conspiracy to aggravated extortion, while the third was stopped for aggravated receiving of stolen goods, since found in possession of stolen valuables and immediately recognized by the victims. The operation was triggered after a shadowing that lasted over 15 hours, conducted by a team of several officers. The officers intercepted the three criminals aboard the shuttle bus that connects the port's security checkpoint to the pedestrian boarding area.

The investigations allowed us to reconstruct two episodes of aggravated extortion occurred the previous Friday to the detriment of two elderly women living respectively in Baratili San Pietro e UrasThe victims, contacted by phone by fake Carabinieri officers, had been threatened with the prospect of serious legal consequences, as they were believed to be involved in an alleged robbery. In reality, it was a psychological strategy aimed at generating fear and subjugation, forcing them to hand over cash, gold and jewelry for a total value of approximately 40.000 €.

The technique used by the scammers also required the victims to keep the telephone line busy, thus preventing them from contacting family members or law enforcement. At the same time, the criminals asked questions about the home, presumably to pinpoint its precise location, and announced the arrival of a suspected collaborator charged with collecting the goods.

The Carabinieri investigators confirmed that the two men had indeed managed to steal money and valuables. The third subject, arrested for stolen, was found in possession of high value jewels belonging to the victim of Uras. Thanks to the timely checks and thanks to the Carabinieri's in-depth knowledge of the territory, it was possible to identify those responsible and seize money and goods considered proceeds of crime.

Investigations continue to verify any links with other similar incidents recorded in the province of Oristano and in the rest of the of Sardinia. The operation was also facilitated by the investigative experience gained by the military of the Provincial Command of Oristano, already protagonists of important arrests between the summer and autumn of 2024, in addition to the most recent intervention on October 24 in Collinas. The three arrested men were transferred to Uta prison (CA) and made available to the Public Prosecutor's Office at the Court of Cagliari.