Their specialty, according to investigators, was thefts from agricultural companies. Several were affected throughout Italy, including in Bertinoro, Cesena and Rimini. On Friday morning the police tightened the circle on the group: the personnel of the State Police of Perugia, with the Flying Squad of Caserta, at the conclusion of the investigative activity, carried out – in Parete and Villa Literno (Caserta) – a precautionary custody order in prison against 5 Romanian citizens and one Pakistani citizen, aged 32 to 40, accused of aggravated theft in conspiracy and attempted theft in conspiracy.
The investigations, carried out by the Flying Squad of the Perugia Police Headquarters, began a year ago, when four of the suspects, after having forced the entrance gate of a farm in Perugia, entered inside and removed several household appliances. Subsequently, after going outside, the four subjects had a tank and the inspection wells of the photovoltaic panels, taking possession of 420 liters of diesel and removing the electrical cable of the system approximately 900 meters long, for an estimated value of approximately 100,000 EUR.
The viewing of the video surveillance footage with which the company was equipped and the further investigations carried out immediately after the events allowed the Perugia Flying Squad personnel to trace the identity of the three Romanian citizens and the Pakistani citizen. However, the investigation activity did not stop. The police worked on telephone interceptions and cell phone GPS, identifying other members of the alleged gang and other suspected raids on farms. For the Police in particular, the group would have struck last August in the municipality of Bertinoro on the night between 17 and 18 August 2023) in Cesena (episode which occurred on the night between 23 and 24 August 2023). Shortly before, there would have been a similar theft perpetrated by them in Rimini (episode which occurred on the night between 4 and 5 June 2023). Other attacks were attributed to them, which occurred in Viterbo, Monbaroccio (Pesaro) and an attempt in Valmontone (Rome).
According to what has been reconstructed, almost always using burglary tools, they would have entered the companies, removing, depending on the case, diesel fuel for over 1500 litres, electrical cables for a total length of over 9 kilometres, 3 vans and various work equipment . The total value of the stolen goods would amount to over 265,000 euros. At the time of the execution of the precautionary custody order, one of the suspects was already detained for another reason in the Santa Maria Capua Vetere prison, while 4 others, residing in Campania, were tracked down and taken to the same prison. One is currently untraceable on the national territory for which searches will also be activated internationally.
