In Naples there are between 250 and 300 specialists who, every day, leave their homes to mug or pickpocket. I am already numbers in the hands of the police are impressive who monitor the small army of “hands-offs” based on complaints. There could also be many more, because the underground economy is a significant portion as explained by the outcome of Wednesday’s operation, with the arrests of the perpetrators of thefts and robberies in the subway. But the figures that are even more impressive are those relating to average earnings. We are talking about around eight thousand euros per month, even if it is a figure that could be considered gross.
To “work” they pay bribes to the Camorra
«Of course, they don’t pay taxes to the state – explains an investigator who prefers to remain anonymous – but to the anti-state, yes. Any illicit traffic passes for a bribe to be sent to the Camorra». The specialists registered in the police information mostly come from the northern suburbs, but also from the Sanità district and the Quartieri Spagnoli, where there are over forty of them. To work they move to other areas, because they follow the flow. Especially tourists. Those who travel on foot work between Chiaia, Vomero and the Alto district, but also in the heart of the historic centre. When vacationers and caravans of tourists arrive. «Pickpockets prefer large groups – the investigator continues. – They sneak into the group that is preparing to see a museum or a church and grab what they can. Pickpockets, on the other hand, prefer isolated victimsmaximum groups of two or three people”.
Where they nest
In the city where last summer a Rolex theft was recorded every two days, the hot spots are above all those of large gatherings, such as Town Hall Squareright at the exit of Beverello Pier. But also the viale Umberto Maddalenathe road located close to Capodichino airport and, obviously, the Central Station and all the surrounding streets. That is the main hub of crimes at every level. Not only pickpocketing and mugging, but also robberies, counterfeiting and above all the infamous “parcels”.
When tourists appear with the sun in their eyes at the exit from the central station they are noticed almost immediately by that jagged world of widespread illegality. It is not difficult. They wear hats, caps or cheap panama hats with a colored band, dark glasses, Bermuda shorts even if it’s still cold, trolley, backpack and sneakers.
Encirclement techniques and “packers”
That cheap Panama is quickly surrounded, until it almost disappears, swallowed up. No violence, just words and (false) offers that make it difficult to say no to. The first to arrive are the illegal taxi drivers. If that obstacle is overcome because, fortunately, the hotel is within walking distance, other parallel related figures arrive. The annoying but harmless sellers of ghosts and lighters can be bypassed without problems, but then, inevitably you arrive at the souk which is on the other side of the station. The “package workers” work there, the on-the-road sales specialists. A sort of cultural or, better yet, subcultural institution. Certainly criminal, but in a certain sense tolerated, as one tolerates the oleography of the grotesque. Like traffic, clothes hanging out or illegal parkers. Like scooters with three passengers on the saddle and without helmets. “Package supporters” are like that, for those who have heard about them from afar. Attractive and dangerous at the same time. Approaching them is a bit like going to Las Vegas with a few dollars and thinking of breaking the casino. Pure utopia. How to buy a 1400 euro iPhone, taking out a fifty banknote.
