Violent robbery of elderly woman in Arenella: 17-year-old arrested. Hunt for accomplices.

Naples – The call comes when she, a 92-year-old woman, is the only one at home. On the other end, a man introduces himself as a Carabinieri officer and fabricates a story designed to create alarm: a robbery had just occurred at a jewelry store, and for this reason, it would be necessary to check the jewelry stored in the home.

This was the beginning of the scam that, according to the investigation, led to the robbery of the elderly woman on Via Battistello Caracciolo, in Arenella. Shortly after the phone call, a 17-year-old boy showed up at the door. He also identified himself as a law enforcement officer, showing a fake identification card and thus managing to get the door opened.

The phone call to disorient the victim

The attack appears to have been the now infamous scam targeting the elderly, but in this case it involved a particularly violent attack. While the accomplice continued to speak to the woman on the phone, the minor entered the home and stole jewelry and money.
Bracelets, medals, a luxury watch, and approximately 800 euros: this is what the young man reportedly stole before attempting to escape.

The situation changes when the 92-year-old realizes she's been tricked. The elderly woman tries to stop the boy from walking away and, according to investigators' reconstruction, is pulled and struck. The violence causes the woman to fall, losing consciousness.

The attack and the destroyed cell phone

The consequences are serious. The 92-year-old suffered a head injury and three fractured ribs. She was admitted to Cardarelli Hospital, where she will remain under observation for 38 days.
Furthermore, before leaving, the young man allegedly damaged the victim's phone, preventing her from using it to immediately call for help.

It is precisely the violence inflicted on a very elderly person, as well as the manner in which the robbery was allegedly organized, that is of particular importance to the investigative proceedings of the Public Prosecutor's Office at the Juvenile Court of Naples.

The cameras and the recognition of the 92-year-old

The investigations by the Naples Flying Squad, coordinated by the Juvenile Prosecutor's Office, allowed the story to be reconstructed, including through video surveillance footage.
One piece of evidence investigators considered significant came directly from the victim. Despite being hospitalized and suffering from the effects of the attack, the 92-year-old reportedly recognized from a photograph the young man identified by investigators as the actual perpetrator of the robbery.

The investigative activity has therefore led to the acquisition of evidence which, according to the prosecution, outlines serious indications of guilt against the seventeen-year-old and allows them to reconstruct the methods used to carry out the robbery.

The arrest and validation of the investigating judge

Given the seriousness of the alleged crimes, the judicial authorities ordered the minor to be detained on suspicion of crime. The order was executed by the State Police and initially led to the 17-year-old's placement in a first-line reception center for minors.

The validation hearing took place today before the preliminary investigations judge of the Naples Juvenile Court. The investigating judge confirmed the arrest and ordered the boy's transfer to a juvenile detention center.

The young man, who had already been reported last August for another case of fraud, according to investigations, is being assisted by the lawyer Francesco Buonaiuto.

Hunt for the telephone operator and his other accomplices

The investigation, however, is not concluded. Investigators from the Flying Squad are trying to identify the man who allegedly made the call to the 92-year-old and to determine whether other individuals were involved in planning and executing the robbery.

The goal is to reconstruct the entire scam chain: from the phone call used to convince the elderly woman to open the door, to the presence of the fake law enforcement officer, to the escape with jewelry and money.
The order issued against the 17-year-old is a precautionary measure adopted during the preliminary investigation. The young man therefore remains under investigation and must be presumed innocent until a final sentence is issued.