High-Stakes Heist in Broad Daylight

The phone at the barracks rings, and on the other end is the agitated voice of a man. He speaks quickly, breathless either from running or perhaps from fear. Two men dressed in black, he recounts, entered a betting shop on Via Vittorio Veneto. They pointed a gun at his head and told him to leave. That street is covered by a municipal camera, directly connected to the Carabinieri's computers. They witness the robbery live and immediately coordinate all patrols in the area, supported by the operations center. The two robbers, in black tracksuits, hoods, and sneakers, flee in a white Jeep. From another camera, they manage to capture the license plate. The search begins, and thanks to the surveillance system, the criminals' car is tracked from street to street, like a director's cut in an action film. The Jeep turns onto Via Deledda, entering the 'Congo' district. The Carabinieri are there in a flash. They surround the fugitives, ordering them to keep their hands visible. They have no choice but to surrender. They are all very young, between 19 and 15 years old. In the pockets of each, 500 euros and in the 15-year-old's pants, a blank-firing gun without a red cap. More money is in the glove compartment. According to subsequent reconstructions, two of the four entered with the weapon drawn, forcing some customers to flee and others to lock themselves in the restroom. With the gun's butt, they smashed the betting shop's counter glass and 'took' thousands of euros. Two are minors, aged 15 and 17, the latter the only one already known to law enforcement. The other two are 19 years old. They ended up in jail and the juvenile detention center, awaiting trial. They will be charged with aggravated robbery in concert.