Torre Annunziata – The alleged perpetrator of the five quick robberies carried out in quick succession yesterday morning, targeting businesses between Torre del Greco, Torre Annunziata, and Trecase, has a name and a face.
Antonio Avitabile, 49, a repeat offender, was arrested in the center of Oplonti by officers from the Police Station, working in conjunction with the Carabinieri of the local station. He is seriously suspected of having carried out a veritable criminal escalation in just a few minutes.
The precedents and the escape from the hospital
Antonio Avitabile is no stranger to the headlines. The 49-year-old boasts a significant criminal past, making headlines in Naples in particular in 2014 for a sensational escape.
At the time, he was admitted to the San Giovanni Bosco Hospital in Naples during his detention and managed to escape. He was tracked down and arrested five days later in Torre Annunziata, where he had attempted to disguise himself with a clumsy disguise.
Making the affair a truly local issue is also a family connection of an institutional nature: Antonio Avitabile is the brother of Italia Viva city councilor Michele Avitabile. The politician, however, has publicly distanced himself from his brother for years, severing relations due to his lifestyle and his well-known legal issues.
Investigations are continuing to determine Avitabile's responsibility in all five robberies.
The sequence of shots and the arrest
The alarm was raised yesterday morning when law enforcement received reports of robberies at several businesses. The method of execution, the speed, and the geographic proximity immediately led to the suspicion that the robberies were carried out by a single individual.
The rapid investigation, conducted thanks to the meticulous examination of video surveillance images, allowed the robber to be identified: a man on a scooter, found stolen in Torre del Greco, wearing clearly defined clothing and a helmet.
The search focused on Torre Annunziata, where investigators first located the moped used in the robberies. A subsequent stakeout led to the capture of 49-year-old Avitabile.
The search of the scene and the vehicle led to the discovery and seizure of the helmet and clothing used during the robberies, as well as part of the proceeds of the robberies. The man is currently under serious suspicion of being the perpetrator of at least two of the five incidents under investigation.
After completing the formal procedures, Antonio Avitabile was transferred to the Naples-Poggioreale prison.
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At this age? Does he still commit robberies???
It's incredible how some people can commit such acts. Antonio Avitabile has a long history of crimes, but it's surprising that he's still capable of doing so. Let's hope justice takes its course and there are no more similar incidents.