Naples, the Rolex gang strikes in Bologna: three travelers arrested. Betrayed by luxury.

Bologna – They were true "professionals" at robberies on the move. Organized, cold-blooded, and capable of moving in the shadows with almost military-like techniques to identify the right prey and strike at the right moment.

However, the trial ended with handcuffs on the wrists of three Neapolitan criminals—aged 47, 48, and 30—arrested yesterday by the Bologna Flying Squad following a pre-trial detention order. The charges are serious: aggravated theft, committed with violence against property and resulting in significant financial damage.

The 40 euro robbery on Via Lombardia

The meticulous and complex investigation shed light on a raid that took place on October 2, 2024. The gang targeted a citizen "guilty" only of going to a downtown jewelry store to have two Rolex watches appraised. The haul, worth a total of €40, did not escape the expert eyes of the three criminals.

According to investigators' reconstruction, the criminals were stationed outside the store. They observed the victim through the window as she showed off her watches, waited for her to come out, and from that moment on, a stalking operation worthy of a spy story began.

With their faces covered by scarves, sunglasses, and hats, the three communicated constantly via earphones and cell phones, coordinating the movements of a motorcycle (with a fake license plate) and a rental car used for logistical support.

The assault and the escape

The plan was carried out on Via Lombardia, far from the city center, where the victim felt safe. The man's car was pulled up alongside the motorcycle: a sharp blow smashed the passenger-side window, and within seconds the bag containing the valuables—which also contained a Montblanc pen case, cash, and a pair of newly purchased loafers—was gone.

Betrayed by technology and a fake document

The Mobile Squad's meticulous work on surveillance footage helped to pin down the robbery ring. Hours of recordings allowed them to isolate the rental car's license plate and identify the accomplices' faces in locations far from the crime scene, dismantling their alibis.

Also crucial was the mistake made by the youngest member of the group (the 30-year-old), who used a false document to book the hotel where the gang was based, leaving an indelible trace.

Serial crime and arrest in Veneto

This was not an isolated case. Investigations revealed that the gang operated on a regular basis: one of the members is also suspected of a similar theft that occurred in September. Their criminal career was initially halted in Padua, where they were intercepted and arrested red-handed while attempting yet another robbery of a valuable watch, which they were also found to be in possession of the stolen goods from the previous day's heist in Bologna.

Yesterday, the circle was definitively closed. The three, all convicted of specific, repeated recidivism, were tracked down between Naples and Padua and taken to prison by order of the Bologna investigating judge. For them, the "trip" ended in the worst possible way.