Naples – Tunnels hundreds of meters long, breaches in the bank's security system, and dramatic diversions involving hostages to detain law enforcement: the gang of robbers who attacked the Crédit Agricole bank in Piazza Medaglie d'Oro in Vomero dreamed big. So big, in fact, that their primary goal was to empty the bank's vault, which contained hundreds of safety deposit boxes.
In the end, according to an estimate provided by the bank, the bandits emptied "only" 40 deposit boxes. Something must have disrupted the gang's plan. Perhaps the Carabinieri and police arrived too quickly, or perhaps the bandits had a predetermined time to remain inside the bank before fleeing through the sewers.
Identikit and strategy of the gang
But these are just suppositions for now. The day after the attack, an attempt was made to piece together the evidence gathered to put a face and name to the robbers. First, using testimonies and video from the bank's internal surveillance system, which apparently never stopped working, an attempt was made to determine the number of robbers who entered the bank branch.
Three of them definitely arrived in the stolen Alfa Romeo Giulietta, which was left outside the bank. They entered through the main entrance disguised as couriers and were responsible for rounding up the bank's customers and employees—25 in total—and locking them in a room visible to law enforcement.
The hostages were supposed to act as a shield to prevent the police and Carabinieri from immediately storming the bank. According to some hostages, the three "Giulietta" bandits wore pants with the logo of a delivery company and black socks over their faces to disguise themselves. With a strong Neapolitan accent, they were polite, decisive, and authoritative enough to intimidate, calm, and armed with "toy" pistols (those left at the robbery scene), the three bandits entered the bank around 12:00 PM, but perhaps less than 30 minutes later, they had already disappeared from the sight of the hostages, left unguarded in a room locked from the outside.
Masks and accomplices in the underground
But the three robbers weren't the only ones to carry out the robbery; there were accomplices who entered through the sewers. There may have been at least six robbers present in the bank, and some were certainly caught on camera: dressed in black, with tights over their faces and masks of well-known actors. It seems like a funny detail, almost a joke for investigators, yet having a distinctive and identifying feature could have helped the robbers distinguish themselves in the darkness of the tunnels or inside the bank without having to speak or call each other by name.
Each of them undoubtedly had a specific task to perform. When the GIS team from Livorno entered the bank, a few hours after the hostages had been rescued, the bandits had already fled long ago. Perhaps they had even left before the hostages were freed.
The time factor and the disappointment of account holders
And it was the time factor that played in favor of the customers who owned the safety deposit boxes. The number of robbed safes (forty), according to the bank, and those opened but already empty (about ten) are few because the robbers set themselves a time limit or fled earlier than expected and therefore were unable to open the safes, which would have required something more effective than a crowbar or a few screwdrivers. Those safes contained a lifetime of memories, sentimental treasures, gold, tickets. Precious things that, almost certainly, will never be recovered.
The owners of those treasures lined up to get in this morning when the branch opened. Outside the bank, the atmosphere seemed tense this morning: some emerged rejoicing at having escaped the damage, while others, with dull eyes, already aware they had lost everything. A census of the items contained in the boxes, unknown to the bank, has begun, based on customer statements, many of whom will still have to wait for the inventory to be completed.
Accusations against the institute's security
"My safe came from the Via Scarlatti branch," said one account holder. "Years ago, they offered to move us here, assuring us it was one of the most secure vaults. Instead, the safes were exposed along the walls. They opened those, while the ones protected by the secure cabinets were left untouched." Anger mounted over perceived non-existent security: "No metal detectors, a panic door for the vault.
"It was incredibly easy to get in," a woman complained. "We learned of an attempted burglary last summer: why didn't they do anything? It's gross negligence." For many, the economic value followed the sentimental one. "My wife had prepared notes with the items to leave to her granddaughters," whispered a man who had kept his belongings there since 1982. "You feel lost, your emotional life violated."
Structural damage and technical surveys
A theft that becomes "psychological damage," while the mockery of reimbursement is already being feared: "My father's or grandfather's wedding rings are a pittance for some, but for us they were everything. No compensation can buy back the past." While the staff attempted to manage the chaos, the bitterness of the siege's outcome lingered. "With that display of force, I didn't think they'd disappear into the sewers like that," commented a woman, watching the patrols.
"Perhaps something went wrong in the coordination." While Mayor Gaetano Manfredi believed the attack had been "planned for months by top professionals," those inside the scene were more nuanced. "They were Neapolitans, almost kind to us," said one hostage. "They weren't aggressive, but confident: they were counting on our fear." A surgical assault, commanded by authoritative orders and a strong dialect: "They locked us in and made us put down our cell phones, and then we never saw them again."
The next day, it was also time to assess the damage. Structural damage to the building. ABC technicians descended into the tunnel alongside firefighters to assess whether the tunnel dug by the bandits could cause structural damage to the building. In case of rain, the many-meter-long trench could fill with water and cause collapse. During an inspection of the escape route, investigators found a small power supply and some tools used to dig the tunnel. It appears there were no valuables or money lost during the escape. The bandits paid the utmost attention to that.
In short
Naples - Tunnels hundreds of meters long, breaches in the bank's security system, and dramatic diversions involving hostages to detain law enforcement: the gang of robbers who…
- He dreamed so big that his main goal was to empty the branch's vault which contained hundreds of boxes of…
- In the end, according to an estimate provided by the bank, the deposit boxes emptied by the bandits were 'only' 40, something must…
- Perhaps the Carabinieri and police arrived too quickly, or perhaps the bandits had a predetermined time limit to remain inside the institution…
Key questions
What is the main point of the news?
Naples - Tunnels hundreds of meters long, breaches in the bank's security system, and dramatic hostage-taking to detain law enforcement: the…
Why is this news relevant?
He dreamed so big that his main goal was to empty the branch's vault which contained hundreds of boxes of…
Which detail helps us understand the case better?
In the end, according to an estimate provided by the bank, the burglars emptied 'only' 40 boxes; something must have disturbed the plan...
It seems like a sad and strange story to me, but I don't want to judge immediately; we still lack a lot of information. The bank seemed easily accessible, the deposit boxes were in plain sight, and no metal detectors were activated. The Carabinieri and the police didn't coordinate well, or perhaps time played against them. I hope the owners will at least find some of the mementos.