Marcaria: Fraud against the elderly. The Carabinieri arrest 2 men red-handed and recover the entire stolen goods

On March 20, 2025, the Carabinieri of the Company from Viadana, with the coordination of the Public Prosecutor's Office at the Court of Mantua, have drawn up arrest, in the act of committing a crime, a 28enne and a 19enne, both from Campania, held responsible for the crimes of robbery and fraud against elderly people.

The delicate investigative activity that led to the arrest of the two began around 13pm, when personnel from the Marcaria Municipal Police reported the presence in that center of a vehicle presumably used by individuals involved in scams against the elderly.

The operator of the Operations Centre promptly Carabinieri of Viadana sent patrols to the scene patrol service already engaged in the territory, also with the aim of preventing scams against the elderly, of which several attempts had been recorded in recent days.

The crew of theRadiomobile rate arrived immediately in the reported area he immediately suspicious car identified, parked along the road near some houses.

Inside the vehicle there was a subject who immediately appeared nervous and who did not provide plausible justifications for his presence in Marcaria.

As they proceeded with the check, the Carabinieri noticed another young man coming out of a house who, at the sight of them, fled in the direction indicated.

The military promptly set out tochase of the subject who was tracked down and stopped in a nearby street, also with the help of a young local, a neighbor of the victim, who had witnessed the scene and, with a good dose of courage, had prevented the fugitive from disappearing.

In the availability of the young man, the Carabinieri have found a sum of cash money and a bag, content various gold jewelry, which he had tried to get rid of.

Immediate investigations allowed us to trace theelderly victim, 89enne of the place, to which those arrested, first identifying themselves as Carabinieri and then even by force, they had stolen the money and gold found in the possession of the young man.

Le personal and vehicle searches have allowed us to find additional gold jewelry and more cash that subsequent investigative activity has allowed us to trace back to another scam perpetrated, a few hours before, to the detriment of an 85 year old woman always resident in the Municipality of Marcaria.

The elderly victim, once traced, said that, in the morning, he had received a phone call from a subject, who, qualifying as a Carabiniere, had told her that her nephew had caused a car accident and that a lot of money was needed to prevent him from ending up in prison.

After a few minutes a man showed up at his home accomplice that, always presented himself as a Carabiniere, had gold and money handed over to him.

To prevent her from contacting any family members in the short term, the woman had been kept busy on the phone, having her write, under dictation, a phantom text regarding "collaboration with the Carabinieri", and then induced to keep the home telephone number free, with the excuse of having to receive a phone call shortly from the hospital, where her nephew had been taken after the accident.

The stolen goods, entirely recovered, were returned to the rightful owners, including the wedding ring stolen from the 89-year-old woman.

At the end of the checks and formal procedures, the two subjects, both "travelling" from Campania, have been declared in a state of arrest and conducted to the Virgilian prison.

In the next few days, the validation of the arrest requested by the Public Prosecutor on duty of the Public Prosecutor's Office of Mantua will be held before the GIP of the Court of Mantua.

The Carabinieri's Decalogue to Defend Yourself from Scams

1. ATTENTION TO… opportunities, initiatives, offers that seem very advantageous: it will not be a casual meeting that will propose them to you. It is instead easy that it is a scam. Scams can be perpetrated in person, on the phone, by mail and even via the Internet. You can be stopped on the street, you can receive a visit at home, you can be contacted with the most diverse systems.
2. BEWARE OF APPEARANCES. Distinguished, friendly smile, maximum availability, scammers present themselves with a reassuring appearance, ideal for gaining your sympathy.
3. DON'T OPEN THAT DOOR. The gate, the main door and the front door do not open to strangers. Check through the peephole and use the chain if it is absolutely necessary to open. Officials from the Municipality or the Post Office, INPS or INAIL representatives, gas or electricity technicians do not show up at your home without notice. They are not responsible for collecting bills or checking payments. The visit is always preceded and guaranteed by a communication stating the reason for it and if you are not satisfied, you have every right to contact the company concerned. Check the telephone number, however: the subject could give you that of an accomplice. He (or she) will be waiting outside the door.
4. NEVER IN CASH. It's a completely different story for door-to-door salesmen. If you really aren't willing to give up the product offered, no cash payment: with a postal order you will have confirmation of the company that offered you the good and above all the guarantee of your purchase having been made from them. And if instead you receive an unexpected package, the best thing is to ask for it to be left on the doormat, in the entrance hall or, if you have one, by the doorman. Of course, you will have to sign. But never without a chain on the door.
5. THE CARD IS NOT ENOUGH. Bank employees do not go to homes but offer their services only at the counter, by mail, with credit cards and online. Also, be careful of those who say they are part of charitable or religious organizations, who, in a much more credible way, warn with messages in the letterbox and do not usually send volunteers to homes. And if there is a representative of the Police at the door, with an identification badge to justify their civilian clothes, know that this is completely unusual behavior: Carabinieri, Police and Guardia di Finanza operate at homes in uniform and arrive there in service cars. If in doubt, call 112 without hesitation. Their job is to guarantee your safety.
6. NO CONFIDENCE ON THE PHONE… Be careful of any unexpected opportunity offered to you "by appointment". And keep in mind that INPS, INAIL and the local health authorities do not use the telephone if they need to carry out checks or resolve administrative issues. No conversations with people who have contacted you "by mistake": they are often malicious people who aim to steal very useful information about you. The most classic of telephone scams? The call from self-styled lawyers urgently asking for money for a family member in difficulty: a representative will come to you to collect it, perhaps willing to accompany you to the ATM. Do not pay under any circumstances. Instead, contact a trusted person.
7. …AND NOT EVEN ON THE INTERNET. If you surf, never do without some security measures. A “complicated” password (numbers, symbols, upper and lower case letters), confidentiality of data, banking but not only, a good antivirus program. Always remembering that attractive shopping opportunities should always be carefully checked, and emails arriving from unknown senders should never be opened.
8. BEWARE OF CHILDREN! The grandson should never be sent alone to open the front door or the door of the house: he would have no problem welcoming anyone, without distinction between "good" and "bad". But he shouldn't even accept sweets or toys on the street from strangers, ready to "make friends" with him. But also with you. And the consequences could be unexpected.
9. DON'T GET DISTRACTED. It is easy to distract an elderly person, but not only that: a push, apparently involuntary; a coin that falls to the ground and attracts attention; a witty remark while handling money. Not to mention crowded environments and confusion: traveling by bus, shopping at the market, a cappuccino at the bar are ideal circumstances for thieves and petty thieves. At least as much as an open bag or purse or on the outside of the sidewalk, and therefore "within reach". However, do not hold on to it in the event of a pickpocket: a fall can have far more serious consequences than the loss of money.
10. A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD. In order not to give up your habits and interests, in short, at a certain point in your life, it is good to take some extra precautions, starting with those we have indicated. Of course, not everyone in the house can afford a security door, an anti-theft device or a safe. But a good neighborly relationship can be essential, for example. Because it is precisely the neighbor you greet every day, and with whom it is always good to exchange phone numbers, who will be able to intervene to help you before anyone else, knowing your lifestyle well and identifying any worrying "anomalies" in your daily life.