Giugliano, third raid in a year at Ely Gas: hunt for the gang of robbers

Giugliano – Guns drawn, faces covered, and a scooter ready to go. A few minutes were all it took to turn a normal work evening into a nightmare. Crime has returned to Giugliano's businesses, and once again, the Ely Gas service station on Via Oasi Sacro Cuore has been targeted.

The raid took place on Tuesday evening, shortly after 9:30 PM. According to initial reports, three men drove into the gas station in a Honda SH. All had their faces covered. One of them pulled out a gun and threatened the two employees present, demanding they hand over the money.

The employee chased during the robbery

The robbery reportedly reached a particularly tense point when one of the workers attempted to escape the bandits. However, the employee was chased and caught by one of the gang members, who then forced him at gunpoint to hand over the day's takings.

The robbers stole approximately €450, then re-boarded their scooter and fled. Their swift, carefully planned escape allowed the group to disappear before law enforcement arrived.

Cameras under scrutiny

Officers from the Police Station responded to the scene, took statements from the victims, and conducted initial investigations. The investigation focuses primarily on video surveillance footage from the plant and nearby streets.

The footage will clarify the route taken by the group before the break-in, how they escaped, and the possible presence of accomplices or a support vehicle. Investigators are working to isolate useful footage, reconstruct the robbers' clothing, and determine whether the scooter used in the robbery was stolen or has previously been used in similar incidents.

Three robberies in twelve months

This is not an isolated incident for Ely Gas. The gas station on Via Oasi Sacro Cuore has reportedly been targeted for the third time in a year. The most recent incident dates back to the evening of January 6th: on that occasion, according to reports published in the local press, four criminals arrived in a blue Fiat 500X and, threatening an employee with a gun, stole approximately €500. In that case, too, the police obtained surveillance footage.

The latest raid, however, presents a different dynamic: this time, the robbers apparently chose a scooter, a nimble vehicle that is difficult to intercept in the immediate aftermath of their escape. It remains to be seen whether the two raids have similarities—from the group's composition to the type of weapon, to their operational habits—or whether the gas station was identified as a vulnerable target by different gangs.

An area already marked by attacks

In the Oasi Sacro Cuore area, there have been previous incidents of robberies targeting gas stations. In February 2022, a robbery captured on camera showed three young men arriving on a scooter, threatening the gas station attendant with a gun, and assaulting him during the attack. That incident does not overlap with Tuesday's incident and does not allow the current investigation to establish a link. However, it confirms that gas stations, especially in the evening, remain vulnerable targets for predatory crime.

Attention is now focused on the police station's investigations. Footage, workers' testimonies, and any useful details about the escape along the roads connecting Via Oasi Sacro Cuore to the rest of the city and the coastline could be crucial in tracing the gang.