GALLARATE – In recent days, the Gallarate State Police have tracked down the perpetrator of the theft of a mobile phone and the subsequent extortion attempt against a boy. The victim was traveling in a car at walking pace in the center of Gallarate, sitting on the passenger side with the window partially lowered. The thief stuck his arm through the window and with a sudden move he grabbed the cell phone that the victim was holding between his legs, trying to disappear into the crowd.
Phone taken on the fly
The robbed man, having recovered from the surprise, called 112, fproviding a detailed description of the perpetrator of the theft. At the same time he followed him, without ever losing sight of him, reaching him in the station area. At that point the criminal ordered the victim to hand over 50 euros in order to get his mobile phone back and when he refused it, he ran away.
50 euros for the telephone
The initial searches on the spot carried out by the police who intervened gave negative results. At around 1.30 am the boy encountered his extortionist again near the station and upon yet another request for money, he called 112. The perpetrator of the theft and extortion was intercepted a few minutes later by the police station that intervened and with him the police also found the stolen cell phone.
Illegal and recidivist
The perpetrator of the double crime is a Moroccan citizen, irregular result on the national territory, expelled several times and reported to the judicial authorities on four occasions for failure to comply with the Police Commissioner’s order to leave the national territory, as well as reported for manifest drunkenness and convicted of robbery. The phone found was returned to its rightful owner while the extortionist was arrested and associated with the Busto Arsizio prison, on the order of the judicial authority awaiting trial.
