Crackdown on Pickpocketing in Naples Amid Free Museum Day

We are in the San Carlo Arena district and the carabinieri of the Napoli Capodimonte station are engaged in a targeted service to combat the phenomenon of pickpocketing on buses, also affecting the hundreds of tourists who crowd the city on the day dedicated to free museum admissions. The military personnel move from one vehicle to another, the crowded hours are the most dangerous and they proceed according to the route planned from the first stop to the terminus. They watch the people and their faces - often the pickpockets have a first-rate historical resume and are known to the law enforcement - paying attention to every little gesture. There is the coat placed on the arm that hides illicit movements, the group of people that surrounds the elderly and talks among themselves capturing the attention of the next unsuspecting victim, or the 'tourist' who walks around with a camera and a map of the city, but who actually knows well where she is and waits for the right moment to act. The urban line in question is the 204 and we are near the Capodimonte forest-museum. The carabinieri notice a man, identified as 50-year-old Salvatore Caso, and stop him as he was trying to take possession of an elderly man's wallet and then, once discovered, threatens him with death claiming to have a knife in his pocket. The man, stopped by the carabinieri, refuses to provide his personal details and in a few seconds, after pulling one of the military personnel, attempts to flee. A few meters away, the 50-year-old is blocked and arrested. Upon searching, he is indeed found in possession of a switchblade knife which is confiscated. The arrested is awaiting trial.