Naples, nightmare night on Corso Umberto I: 35-year-old man attempts robbery of two women, stopped by patrol car

Naples – Last night, around 23 pm, Corso Umberto I – the historic artery of the city center, a hub for tourists and residents rushing home – was the scene of an attempted robbery, thwarted in its infancy by the prompt intervention of State Police officers.

The protagonist is a 35-year-old Neapolitan man, already known to law enforcement for his prior convictions for robberies and petty theft. The man, with his hood pulled down over his face and a nervous expression that boded ill, approached the two victims—two middle-aged women returning from an evening with friends—as they were strolling peacefully under the arcades crowded with shops and bars.

"Give me the money, now!" the attacker reportedly growled, according to investigators' reconstruction, clenching one hand in his pocket as if he were holding a weapon (although, at the time, none has been found).

The terrified women instinctively resisted, screaming to attract attention. But the robber didn't stop: he forcefully pulled out one of the women's bags, attempting to grab the wallet inside.

A few moments of pure panic, interrupted by the roar of a distant siren. At that very moment, a patrol car from the Office of General Prevention and Public Rescue—on territorial patrol duty, a routine that saves lives every night—was passing along Corso Umberto I.
The officers, two veteran patrol officers with years of experience on the streets of Naples, noticed the scene: the fugitive, who, having spotted the patrol car, let go and fled. Pinned against a wall, the man was searched on the spot: he found only a few coins and a dead phone, but the victims' testimonies—still trembling, but determined not to let fear get the better of them—confirmed the extortion attempt.

The 35-year-old was immediately arrested for attempted aggravated robbery and taken to the Naples Police Headquarters for formalities.