Naples – Investigations into the members of the Marmotta Gang arrested yesterday in a joint operation by the State Police and Carabinieri aim to determine how many robberies the five arrested were responsible for.
The group includes two men from the province of Naples, while their base of operations was in San Gennaro Vesuviano, where explosives, equipment, and cash were found. Investigators are now aiming to reconstruct all the heists carried out by the gang, in addition to the two already confirmed.
The inter-regional gang and the five arrests
Five men aged between 22 and 55 were arrested, two of whom were residents of the Naples area:
Gennaro Miranda, 55 years old,
Giuseppe Nappo, 44 years old, both from San Gennaro Vesuviano;
Michele Russo, 45 years old, from Cerignola (Foggia);
Giuseppe Spalierno, 22 years old, from Modugno (Bari);
Ivan Caruso, 23 years old, from Bari.
Those arrested are currently charged with aggravated theft, as well as receiving stolen goods and possession of explosives without authorization.
The robbery in Agerola and the chase up to the Amalfi Coast
The attack on an ATM in Agerola was crucial to the investigation, as the gang managed to steal approximately €20 after blowing up the machine. Following a series of similar incidents, law enforcement had set up special surveillance operations.
After the robbery, the criminals fled in a car, sparking a daring chase that extended to the Amalfi Coast, passing through Amalfi and ending in the Cetara area, where the vehicle was abandoned. During their escape, the fugitives reportedly threw three-pronged nails to slow down patrols. The car's license plates were found to be stolen.
The hideout in the Naples area: explosives and equipment seized
Investigations by the Naples and Caserta Flying Squads, combined with evidence gathered by the Carabinieri, led to the gang's hideout in San Gennaro Vesuviano, in the heart of the province of Naples. This is where the raid that led to the arrests took place.
Approximately 20 euros in cash, ten explosive devices, headlamps, metal burglary equipment, and a bag containing three-pronged nails, compatible with those used during the escape, were seized from the hideout and the homes of the suspects.
Two assaults in one day and the "groundhog technique"
On the same day, two ATM attacks were reported in Agerola and Casavatore, both carried out using the "groundhog technique": a metal plate with an explosive device inserted into the ATM slot to cause an explosion and allow the money to be stolen.
Investigations open on other attacks
Investigators are confident the gang wasn't the only one to attack these two times. Investigations are continuing to determine whether they were involved in other recent attacks, particularly in less secure areas of the province of Naples and surrounding areas. This investigation could further broaden the scope of the investigation.
The municipalities of Agerola and Cetara have meanwhile publicly praised the police for the speed and effectiveness of the operation.
(pictured from left: Gennaro Miranda, Michele Russo, Giuseppe Spallerino, and Ivan Caruso)
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
Comments (1)
It's incredible that there are people who do such terrible things. The arrests were well made, but I hope such dangerous thefts don't happen again in the future. Safety must always be a priority.