Naples, gang of robbers defeated at “point break”: 7 arrested

Wednesday 19 June, i Carabinieri of the Investigative Unit of the Provincial Command of Naples they executed an order issued by the investigating judge at the Court of Naples North, at the request of the local Public Prosecutor's Office of Naples North, implementing the precautionary measure of house arrest - with electronic bracelet - and loaded with seven people, seriously suspected, for various reasons, the crimes of criminal association and robbery aggravated by the use of weapons, committed with the so-called technique “reverse thread”.

This particular criminal modality included a preliminary observation phase, in which entrepreneurs, traders or commercial agents were identified; a subsequent phase, carried out by the so-called “spinner”, of shadowing and preventive study of habits of the potential victim for calendarize the days on which cash payments were usually made; an executive phase of approach, which ultimately consisted of attacking the victim with sudden actions and with the use of firearms, before he made the deposit.

The complex and detailed investigations, directed by the Prosecutor's Office of North Naples and delegated to the Carabinieri Investigative Unit of Naples, have made it possible to collect multiple and serious pieces of circumstantial evidence, to integrate and strengthen the solid evidentiary framework already outlined with the application of the precautionary measures already carried out, in May 2023, towards of six of the subjects investigated, in order so as to stop the criminal action.

Overall, the investigative activity conducted – from October 2022 to August 2023 - through a prolonged and qualified technical activity and with mechanical numerous observation and shadowing services in response, ultimately allowed us to reveal and dismantle a dangerous criminal association, compound by six people and dedicated to the commission of an indeterminate series of robberies using the "reverse wire" technique, For a overall profit of €131.620,00, as well as to identify two other accomplices, seriously suspected of having participated in two further robberies.

They were spotted, Furthermore, the operational base of the criminal group and their respective members, also capable of plan a series of robberies to carry out, With the ram or split technique, against credit institutions in the provinces of Naples and Parma as well as in Belgium, with the collaboration in this last case of a Romanian insider and thepurchase of four special silicone masks from a theater laboratory, worth approximately five hundred euros each, for the subsequent sophisticated misrepresentation.

Among the vehicles used by the association dismantled by the investigators, there were also dedicated mobile phones, cards iregistered to non-existent foreign subjects, two pistols black replica type, a bulletproof vest ed eleven motorcycles and cars.

Finally, it was possible to gather serious evidence of crime against two further subjects for the commission of a robbery with the "reverse wire" technique, occurred the 06.10.2022 in Arzano (Naples) against the manager of a tobacconist for a total profit of €20.000,00, and three robbery attempts committed, with similar methods, between February and March 2023 in the municipality of Pozzuoli.

On the basis of the investigative evidence collected as well as the complaints and summary information acquired from the offended parties, it was ascertained that - to ensure the achievement of the illicit profit - the suspects were illegally carrying weapons with them, using them aeven in broad daylight to break the windows of the victims' cars, stopped in traffic and, on one occasion, even to fire shots for intimidating purposes.

During the execution which took place on 19 June, six of the seven subjects were identified recipients of the custodial order, while one of them results, currently unavailable. Searches aimed at tracing him are still underway.