A 42-year-old man from Naples was arrested by Milan police for fraud. Yesterday, he attempted to purchase a €52 diamond with a counterfeit check and then flee with the stolen goods. Officers stopped him at Milan Central Station. The scam occurred at the Scavia jewelry store on Via Montenapoleone. According to police, the man had arranged by telephone with the owners to pick up the precious stone yesterday morning, subsequently delivering the check for payment. The jewelry store owners then called their bank and dictated the stub to verify its authenticity. The bank's deputy director continued the check check, and he, in turn, called the Southern Cooperative Credit Bank issuing the check using the number on the document. Twice, the number called reassured them: the stub was authentic, the check was valid, and it was covered. Not satisfied, however, the deputy manager decided to call the bank again, using the switchboard listed on the website. This third check revealed that the bank did not authorize cashier's checks over €50. The bank employee immediately contacted the jewelers to stop the man, but he had already left in the meantime. The assistance of one of the security guards was crucial in this case, as he remembered the man's statement that he was about to catch a train. At that point, a search began at the Central Station, with the security guard also assisting, to identify him. The scammer was on platform 3, most likely intending to catch the first train to Naples, and had already changed his shirt since he had arrived at the jewelry store. The precious stone was carefully hidden in his backpack, which was then returned to the Milanese dealers. Investigations are continuing to determine who made the call to the bank, confirming the authenticity of the security, and whether the 42-year-old is merely an agent for a larger organization.
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