Looting alert in Pozzuoli, first arrest since the earthquake

Pozzuoli – The bradyseism emergency brings with it another threat: looting. With dozens of families forced to abandon their homes after the powerful tremors that struck the Campi Flegrei, fears are growing that empty apartments could become targets for thieves and vandals.

For this reason the Naples Police Headquarters has implemented an extraordinary plan of controls in the areas most affected by the evictions, deploying patrols from the General Prevention Office in the most sensitive areas of the Pozzuoli area.

The first arrest during the checks

The operation's initial results were not long in coming. Yesterday evening, shortly before 9:00 PM, officers engaged in anti-looting operations stopped Pietro Erbasto, a 55-year-old criminal, at the intersection of Via Campana and Via Alfonso Artiaco.

According to the police's reconstruction, the man was walking around in a suspicious manner when, upon seeing the patrol car, he attempted to go unnoticed. This behavior prompted the officers to conduct a check.

He was under house arrest, the handcuffs snapped on again

The investigations revealed that the fifty-five-year-old was already under house arrest, a measure he had violated without authorization.

The justifications provided to the officers proved insufficient, and once the violation of the precautionary measure was confirmed, the man was placed in handcuffs again. After spending the night in the police station's holding cells, he will appear before a judge in a fast-track trial.

A sign of the state's presence

The arrest represents the first intervention under the extraordinary measures put in place following the 4.7 magnitude earthquake that caused damage to buildings and numerous evacuations in the Phlegraean Fields.

The goal of law enforcement is twofold: to prevent unattended homes from becoming easy prey to crime and to reassure a population already severely impacted by the bradyseismic emergency. Patrols will be further intensified in the coming days to ensure the safety of residents and protect the property of displaced families.