The Carabinieri of the Operational Unit of the Genoa Central Company and the Arenzano Company have executed two precautionary custody orders against eight individuals, two of whom are women, belonging to the group known as the "manhole gang".
These individuals are accused, unless presumed innocent, of having committed numerous thefts in commercial establishments using the “spaccata” method, in which manhole covers or metal grates were used to break windows and gain access to the interior, stealing money and goods.
Criminal Activities and Investigations
The Carabinieri have reconstructed that the gang members would have carried out several robberies, acting in groups of two or three people and, sometimes, individually. Between October and December 2024, they targeted bars, restaurants and retailers in Genoa, mainly in the historic center, and in Arenzano.
The growing wave of thefts has raised concerns, prompting the Genoa Public Prosecutor's Office and the Carabinieri to activate an action plan. This has included an intensification of the presence of patrols, especially in the evening and night hours, and an in-depth analysis of video surveillance images to identify those responsible.
Results of operations
Numerous observation services in civilian clothes led to the arrest of a gang member in flagrante delicto and the reporting of three other individuals after a theft that occurred in Arenzano. This series of thefts has generated alarm among the shopkeepers, damaged by break-ins and deprived of their takings. The total loot of stolen cash amounts to approximately 15.000 euros. Following the operations, 6 individuals were taken to prison, while 2 were banned from residing.
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