Naples: Teenager robbed of e-bike at the business center: 42-year-old arrested

Naples – The alarm goes off in the heart of Naples' business district. A 16-year-old screams for help as his e-bike is stolen by a man armed with a knife. The Carabinieri's response is swift and decisive: within minutes, the perpetrator is identified and arrested.

It all happened on a quiet afternoon when officers patrolling the area heard the boy's desperate cries. The man, a 42-year-old named Raffaele Costagliola, had already seized the victim's e-bike—a theft that seemed destined for success until the young man caught him in the act.

That's when the situation escalates. The robber pulls out a knife and shows it to the 16-year-old, threatening him. The gesture is enough: the boy immediately desists, realizing that his safety is more important than any material possession.

The Carabinieri, however, have no intention of letting the criminal get away with it. Heading toward Isola G9 in the business center, they begin a systematic search. It only takes a few minutes before Costagliola is spotted riding the stolen bicycle—a detail that completely gives him away.

The arrest was immediate. The man was placed under arrest for aggravated robbery, a crime that aggravated his position precisely because of the use of the knife. Surprisingly, during the search, no trace of the knife was found—probably thrown away to eliminate evidence—but the young man's testimony and the possession of the stolen bike were sufficient to certify his guilt.

Costagliola was transferred to prison, while the electric bicycle was returned to its rightful owner. This case reflects the increasingly common pattern of flash robberies in the Campania capital.