A dirt road immersed in darkness, two stopped cars, and a Carabinieri patrol that decides to carry out a more thorough check. This is the scene of the operation conducted during the night in Varcaturo, a hamlet of Giugliano In Campania, where officers from the Mobile Radio Section arrested a 19-year-old accused of aggravated theft and possession of lock picks and altered keys.
The operation began on Via San Francesco. The Gazelle was slowly driving down the dirt road when, thanks to its high beams, the officers spotted a Peugeot 3008 with two young people inside and, nearby, a Fiat 500X with Spanish license plates. It was this car that attracted the attention of the Carabinieri officers.
The escape into the dead end
As soon as he noticed the Carabinieri, the driver of the Fiat put it in gear and attempted to flee. The Peugeot also drove away, but the officers focused their pursuit on the car with foreign license plates.
The ride doesn't last long. The road eventually ends in a dead end, and the young driver has no choice but to abandon the car. Carrying a purse, he climbs over a fence and dashes into the surrounding farmland, trying to disappear into the darkness of the countryside.
The Carabinieri immediately began chasing the man, while reinforcements were sent to the scene from the operations center.
The plan for the recovery of the fugitive
When everything seemed to be over with the boy's escape, one of the officers noticed a BMW X1 slowly approaching the area. He sensed that it might be an attempt to recover the fugitive and decided to set up a stakeout, turning off the patrol car's headlights and waiting for the right moment.
The hunch proves correct. The BMW stops with the engine running, and a few moments later, the fleeing young man emerges from a bush. He's covered in dirt and mud, still carrying his purse and a smartphone with a video call active.
At that point the Carabinieri took action, blocked the German crossover and arrested all its occupants.
Video calling and car theft kit
The investigations allowed the rescue attempt to be reconstructed. The 19-year-old, a resident of Casavatore and already known to law enforcement, was in fact on a video call with the driver of the BMW, a 24-year-old from Frattaminore who also has a criminal record.
In the purse i police They found a real kit used for the theft of vehicles, consisting of burglary equipment and an electronic control unit decoder.
Also traveling in the BMW were three other young men, aged 20, 16, and 15, all with no criminal record. According to the police's reconstruction, they participated in the attempt to rescue their fleeing friend.
The arrest and discovery of the stolen car
The 19-year-old was arrested on charges of aggravated theft and possession of lock picks and altered keys. The other four occupants of the BMW were charged with aiding and abetting.
The investigation also revealed that the Fiat 500X used by the young man had been stolen the previous night in Caserta. The owner hadn't yet noticed the theft when the Carabinieri checked it.
The news seems interesting but also confusing, at the same time I don't know if all the details are consistent; some steps are missing, it seems, the Carabinieri did their job but doubts remain as to how the escape and recovery could have occurred. Let's hope they clarify everything soon.