Naples, one of the robbers of Via Caravaggio was under house arrest for robbery

A serial robber, Francesco Flegisso, 47, from Marano, was one of the two bandits arrested yesterday by the police while they were trying, with an accomplice who managed to escape, to rob the post office on Via Caravaggio in Naples.

Amato was under house arrest with an electronic bracelet (he had also been convicted of robbery) but had obtained permission to go to a presumed oncological visit.

Instead of heading to the clinic, he took advantage of his temporary freedom to attempt a new robbery, together with his accomplice Raffaele Amato, 54, also from Marano. A third accomplice managed to escape and is still wanted.

The blitz and the fear in the streets

The robbery took place in the late morning. The two thugs, armed with prop guns, entered the post office located next to a cafeteria and the “Nevio” school on via Bramante. Panic immediately broke out among customers and employees: some residents who were looking out from their balconies witnessed the scene, filming the stages of the break-in.

The alarm was raised both by those present and by the Security Room of Poste Italiane, which monitors the offices in real time through the video surveillance system. The response of the police was lightning-fast: in less than five minutes the area was surrounded.

 The intervention of the police forces

The officers from the San Ferdinando, San Paolo and Bagnoli police stations converged on the scene, together with the units of the General Prevention Office, the "Falchi" of the Flying Squad and the Emergency Response Unit.

Wearing bulletproof vests, the police officers prepared for any eventuality, including a possible shootout, given the presence of hostages.

The arrests and the relief of the residents

The police officers from the San Ferdinando police station put an end to the nightmare by storming the post office and arresting Amato and Flegisso without firing a shot. The images of the raid, filmed by residents, immediately bounced on social media and went viral. The relief of the parents of the students of the nearby school, who feared for the safety of their children, was great.

Investigations underway: the doctor is also under scrutiny

In addition to identifying the third accomplice, the Naples Public Prosecutor's Office - "Common Crime" section coordinated by Deputy Prosecutor Pierpaolo Filippelli - has opened a file to verify the legitimacy of the medical certificate that allowed Amato to temporarily leave home. The suspicion is that there may have been complicity or falsification of the prescription.