Avellino – A swift operation, launched in the early hours of the morning, led to the arrest of a gang specializing in copper theft. The Carabinieri of the Montella Company were the leaders of the operation, arresting three men, all already known to law enforcement, and recovering a significant haul: 300 kilograms of copper wire, recently removed from the electrical system of the San Potito Ultra municipal sports field.
The incident occurred Sunday morning, when officers from the Mobile Radio Unit, during a traffic check in the Nusco area, noticed a suspicious vehicle. Upon seeing the patrol, the three occupants—a 67-year-old and a 46-year-old from the province of Salerno, and a 62-year-old local man—accidentally attempted to reverse, but were immediately stopped.
A search of the vehicle left no room for doubt: in the trunk, the Carabinieri discovered a mountain of copper cables of various diameters, a recently removed electrical panel, and a veritable burglary arsenal. Among the tools of the trade seized by the officers were a sturdy crowbar, a hacksaw, scissors, and pliers, clearly used to break into the systems.
The subsequent and immediate investigations, coordinated by the Operational Unit, allowed the "victim" of the robbery to be identified within hours: the San Potito Ultra sports field. The stolen goods, estimated to be worth approximately four thousand euros, were thus returned to their rightful owner, avoiding significant disruption to the public facility.
The trio was charged at liberty with aggravated theft and unauthorized possession of lock picks. The two men from the Salerno area were subjected to even more drastic measures: they were issued mandatory expulsion orders, which will require them to leave the area.
The investigation, now in the hands of the Avellino Prosecutor's Office, is not closed. Investigators are working to determine whether the gang, likely part of a specialized criminal network, has ties to numerous other copper thefts that have hit the province in recent months. This targeted strike not only stopped the thieves but also severed a pipeline of receiving stolen goods that fuels an increasingly lucrative illegal market.
Comments (2)
Yes, it's true that the Carabinieri have done a great job, but I don't understand why there have been so many copper thefts lately. We need to find a solution to stop this crime, which seems to be on the rise.
This story of the copper theft in San Potito Ultra is very interesting. The Carabinieri did a good job in stopping the thieves, but I wonder if this problem will happen again in the future.