Benevento: Thefts at self-service checkouts and vending machines: 39-year-old arrested

A series of thefts and attempted break-ins, mostly carried out at night, in shops, vending machines, and other establishments in the capital of Sannio. This is what the Flying Squad of the Benevento Police Headquarters has reconstructed as part of an investigation that led to the execution of a precautionary warrant against a 39-year-old Italian man, under investigation for aggravated theft and attempted theft.

The measure provides for pre-trial detention with the benefit of house arrest. The alleged incidents were committed between May and August 2026, when the man, according to the investigation, allegedly targeted several businesses while they were closed at night.

Investigators attribute to him the use of recurring methods: forcing entrance doors, secondary accesses and security systems, then entering the premises to steal money kept in the safes or easily transportable goods.

Among the incidents reconstructed by the police is the theft of cash from a cash dispenser installed inside a downtown business. Other cases involve vending machines located in public areas, which were damaged and emptied, as well as the theft of professional equipment from a business. The investigation also examined several break-ins into premises intended for private residences, from which cash and food were reportedly stolen.

Video surveillance systems, both public and private, apparently played a crucial role in identifying the 39-year-old. Image analysis allowed investigators to reconstruct the suspect's movements before and after each incident, identifying his operational methods and escape routes.

In one case, officers tracked the suspect's movements through the city's network of security cameras, monitoring his progress for several kilometers. The investigation also identified the location of a safe stolen during a robbery, which was later recovered by the judicial police.

According to the investigation, to make identification more difficult, the man allegedly used balaclavas, hoods, bandanas, and masks, even systematically covering his forearms and hands.

Further evidence would have been provided by the Forensic Police. Specifically, during the investigation into a theft of a vending machine, a fingerprint was recovered, which technical-scientific tests would later attribute to the suspect.

The Flying Squad's reconstruction therefore led to the precautionary measure, within the framework of a proceeding in which the 39-year-old's position will have to be evaluated in the subsequent judicial phases.