As the Christmas holidays approach, scams targeting the elderly are on the rise throughout Italy. Taking advantage of the loneliness and trust of vulnerable individuals, scammers are carrying out increasingly sophisticated deceptions, often posing as members of the Carabinieri (military police) or public officials.
The latest episode comes from Padova, where the State Police arrested two men from Naples, aged 49 and 63, accused of stealing jewelry worth approximately 30 thousand euros from an elderly woman from Milan.
According to investigators from the Padua Flying Squad, the two men allegedly introduced themselves as emissaries of the Carabinieri and contacted the victim, an 88-year-old woman with a now infamous story: a fake "Carabiniere" informed her that it was necessary to check some family jewels following an alleged theft, demanding that they be immediately handed over to a "collaborator" who would come to collect them for comparison at the barracks.
Deceived by the ruse, the elderly woman handed over the jewelry, believing her husband had been summoned by the police to identify the stolen goods. Only later, realizing the deception, did the woman report the incident.
The police, who had been tailing the two suspects for hours, managed to stop them in Padua as they attempted to return home after the robbery. The scammers were traveling in a rental car and had stayed at a B&B in the province, factors that aroused the suspicions of the officers, who had already been on their trail following previous reports.
During the search, investigators recovered all the stolen goods, which were then returned to the elderly couple. The two men, both residents of Naples and already known to law enforcement for property crimes—including Rolex robberies and other frauds targeting elderly people—were taken to the police headquarters and subsequently to the "Due Palazzi" prison in Padua, at the direction of the Public Prosecutor's Office.
Since the beginning of the year, the Padua State Police alone has arrested twelve people for similar incidents, confirming that the phenomenon is far from isolated. In recent weeks, law enforcement agencies have intensified checks and launched awareness campaigns to warn citizens, especially the elderly, not to trust suspicious phone calls and not to hand over money or valuables to suspected thieves.
The authorities reiterate a clear message: no Carabinieri officer or police officer will ever ask you to hand over jewelry or cash for checks or investigations. If in doubt, it's always best to call 112 or 113 before opening your door to strangers.
The proceedings against the two arrested are still in the preliminary investigation phase: both are to be considered not guilty until all levels of judgment have been concluded.
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Comments (1)
It's truly unacceptable that there are people who take advantage of the elderly in this way. Loneliness and trust can lead to very dangerous situations. You need to be careful and not trust anyone who calls without a valid reason.