VENICE – Sensational act of vandalism in the city centre: those responsible are minors. The offices and part of the laboratories of the largest carpentry shop in the historic center of Venice were systematically devastated. Nothing escaped the vandals, who used a pickaxe to destroy everything, discharging the fire extinguishers and leaving the water taps open. When they returned to complete the work and set fire to the premises, they were blocked by the owner and handed over to the police. Surprisingly, it turned out that the perpetrators were three boys aged around 13.
By law, young people they are not attributable and therefore will not be held accountable for the numerous crimes committed between Saturday and Sunday. However, their families could be asked to pay compensation for the damages, estimated at around 100 thousand euros.
The carpentry shop is located at the eastern end of Venice, on the island of Sant’Elena, near the Biennale pavilions and the Penzo stadium. Founded in 1966, it has withstood the challenges of staying in the city, producing high-end furnishings, including the Veneto Regional Council room in Palazzo Ferro-Fini.
The vandalism raid took place in two phases. On Saturday afternoon, vandals broke the windows of the office with rocks, entering the premises and devastating everything: computers, internal windows, ornaments, chairs and furnishings, also flooding some parts of the premises.
During the second raid, vandals triggered six fires, burning documents, a pillow, a jacket, chairs and other objects. Only luckily a fire didn’t break out.
