Unfortunately, Lucca Comics has always been, like all events where there is a large flow of people, a favorite destination for those with bad intentions. There are many incidents recorded on key days, such as muggings, thefts and scams.
Luckily, every now and then someone gets caught and as in this case ends up in handcuffs.
This is the case of a 26-year-old Italian, convicted felon, resident in Turin, who was arrested on Sunday afternoon by the Carabinieri of the operational section of the Citizen Company for the crime of theft by snatching committed against two minors.
The young man, around 4 in the afternoon, was near a stand in Piazza della Casermetta, and, together with an accomplice, approached a group of young individuals under the pretext of selling postcards depicting ‘anime’. The deception was carried out when the 26-year-old and the other declared that the price was “free offer”, convincing the two 15-year-olds to pick up their wallets.
Then, taking advantage of the situation, the two strangers with a sudden and abrupt gesture tore the present banknotes, amounting to 85 euros, from their wallets and walked away, ignoring the protests of the boys, who, unable to do anything else, headed towards the nearby police station to report the crime. Done.
During the journey, however, the two minors met two soldiers of the Carabinieri in civilian clothes who were carrying out an anti-pickpocketing service, to whom they told them what had happened, giving a description of the criminals. The Carabinieri therefore intervened promptly and located the two suspects on the Walls, a short distance from the place where the theft had been committed. At the sight of the Carabinieri, the two subjects fled, but one of them was caught and stopped by the Carabinieri, who took him to the Cortile degli Svizzeri Barracks. Subjected to a personal search, the 26-year-old was found in possession of the postcards used for the scam and the money removed, which was promptly returned to the minors, who recognized the alleged perpetrator of the crime.
