Naples, members of the hole gang arrested: 'the lords of the sewers'

This morning, as part of the institutional activity of repressing predatory crimes, personnel of the Flying Squad, Anti-Robbery Section, executed a precautionary custody order, issued on 24.6.2019 by the GIP at the Court of Naples, at the request of the local Public Prosecutor's Office, against PANACCIO Gennaro, aged 55, CASO Ciro, aged 39, CACCAVALLO Antonio, aged 35, LUCENTE Rosario, aged 58, PRINNO Salvatore, aged 36, D'AMBROSIO Ciro, aged 62, TROISE Salvatore, aged 45, RAIOLA Franco, aged 37 and RICCI Benedetto, aged 77, all with criminal records, held responsible, to varying degrees, for criminal association aimed at committing a series of crimes against property using the hole technique, aggravated robbery, aggravated theft, carrying and possession of common firearms.
On June 22, the same individuals were the recipients of an arrest warrant issued by the Public Prosecutor's Office. The investigation, coordinated by the Public Prosecutor's Office at the Court of Naples, Seventh Section, began following an attempted robbery committed on February 27, 2019, against a post office on Corso Vittorio Emanuele, using the so-called "hole technique".

On this occasion, important investigative elements were acquired that allowed us to identify some individuals permanently dedicated to committing robberies against banks and commercial activities, using the aforementioned technique. Following an intense investigative activity, the existence of a structured and important criminal organization was ascertained, within which the roles and tasks assigned to the various associates were identified. The aforementioned criminal group was organized and directed by LUCENTE Rosario and PANACCIO Gennaro, who had the task of identifying the targets to hit and managing the operational phase of the individual criminal actions, giving instructions and assigning tasks to the various associates. The criminal figures of PRINNO Salvatore, CASO Ciro, material executors of the criminal events, were also fundamental. The other individuals, however, had secondary tasks, but still preparatory to the execution of the various crimes (tunnel diggers, "lookouts", logistical base procurers). In this regard, important, despite his age, was the role of RICCI Benedetto, a very experienced individual in carrying out robberies with the so-called "hole technique", who had the role of identifying the targets to hit and observing, both during the preparatory work and the execution of the robberies, the possible arrival of the Police.

The aforementioned individuals are charged with the following criminal episodes: attempted robbery committed on February 27, 2019, consisting of carrying out excavation work in the subsoil near the post office located in this Corso Vittorio Emanuele, up to a distance of a few dozen centimeters from the premises and carrying out inspections aimed at verifying the presence of any surveillance cameras or other obstacles to escape, acts aimed unequivocally at taking possession, with threats and violence, even with the use of weapons, of the money and other valuables stored inside the aforementioned post office; theft committed on April 12, 2019 to the detriment of the tobacconist's business located in this Piazza Nicola Amore where, after having carried out excavation work in the subsoil, they entered inside, taking possession of the wall safe containing stamped stamps and blank bills of exchange of the State Printing Office; attempted robbery committed on May 15 2019 to the detriment of the Post Office located in this Via Bellini, where excavation work had been carried out underground near the aforementioned post office attesting to the performance of acts aimed unequivocally at taking possession, with threats and violence, even with the use of weapons, of the money and other valuables stored inside the aforementioned post office; robbery committed on 4 June 2019 to the detriment of a post office in this Via Pontano, where, through threats, consisting of pointing a gun at the employees and ordering the director to open the safe, they took possession of the sum of approximately 30.000,00 euros, then leaving through a hole made in the floor; robbery committed on 11 June 2019 to the detriment of the “Trucchi” jewelry store located in this Via Santa Caterina a Chiaia where, through threats, consisting of immobilizing an employee of the business and pointing a gun at him and through threat, consisting of pointing the gun at the police officers who subsequently intervened, they took possession of numerous valuable watches and precious objects kept inside the safe, worth over 800.000,00 euros.

In these last two episodes, the defendants were charged, in competition with each other, with the possession and carrying of common firearms. On June 11, a few hours after the robbery committed against the Trucchi jewelry store, in an apartment located in the Ponticelli neighborhood, following a daring chase on the roofs of the so-called “Lotto 0” buildings, part of the stolen goods taken by the robbers were found.