Villa robbery involving sexual assault in Scalea: Carabinieri arrest three after thorough investigation.

The operation by the Scalea Company led to the arrest of three Romanian citizens accused of robbery, kidnapping and sexual assault against an elderly couple.

Scalea (CS), November 4, 2025 – A complex and extraordinarily tenacious investigative operation has led to the arrest of three Romanian citizens, held responsible for a brutal villa robbery that culminated in physical and sexual violence against an elderly couple living in the "Piano Grande" district of Scalea.

The preventive detention order was executed by the Carabinieri of the Scalea Company on the orders of the preliminary investigations judge of the Paola Court, at the request of the local Public Prosecutor's Office.

The Night of Horror: The Robbery and the Violence

According to the investigation, the nightmare unfolded on the night of May 21, 2025, when the three criminals, after breaking the glass of a window at the back of the house, managed to enter the house where the victims lived: a 72-year-old woman and her 84-year-old husband.

Armed with a knife and a gun, the attackers allegedly immobilized the man and repeatedly hit both of them, forcing them to hand over money and jewelry.

During the violent attack, the woman was allegedly sexually assaulted, while the man suffered serious injuries. Both were later taken to the hospital in serious, but not life-threatening, condition.

The investigations: wiretaps, video surveillance and genetic analysis

After the complaint and the first investigations carried out on site, the Carabinieri began a complex investigative activity, directed by the magistrates of the Paola Public Prosecutor's Office.

The victims' testimonies, analysis of images from video surveillance systems in the area, and a dense network of wiretaps and environmental surveillance have allowed us to clearly outline the profiles of the alleged perpetrators.

Scientific investigations carried out by the Scientific Investigations Unit (RIS) of the Carabinieri in Messina also played a crucial role, highlighting compatibility between the genetic profiles of the suspects and the biological traces found both at the crime scene and on the victim's clothing.

RIS technicians used innovative biogeographic analysis techniques to determine the suspects' genetic origins, further strengthening the evidence.

Difficulties and twists

The investigation was not without its challenges. Investigators had to decipher cryptic languages ​​and the Romani dialect used by the suspects to evade security checks.

The breakthrough came thanks to the linguistic and investigative expertise of the military, who reconstructed the content of the conversations and identified the links between the three alleged accomplices.

When the arrest warrants were issued, the criminals had attempted to disappear. Their capture required a massive deployment of force and the use of advanced technology, including a drone that allowed them to monitor the rural areas where they were hiding.

During the final phase of the operation, one of the wanted men attempted to escape onto the roofs of a building, but was quickly stopped and arrested by the Carabinieri.

An exemplary investigation

The Commander of the Scalea Company expressed satisfaction with the work done, emphasizing "the dedication, competence, and unwavering commitment of the military, who never stopped the search until those responsible were identified and captured."

The success of the operation confirms the effectiveness of the synergy between the territorial units of the Carabinieri and the specialized departments.
The three arrested are now being held in a penal institution, at the disposal of the judicial authorities.