Italian authorities have captured a six-member gang of thieves led by three men aged between 68 and 77.
These criminals were arrested after it was proven that they had committed armed robberies in Rome’s post offices.
What caught the attention of the police was that this gang was led by Sandro Baruzzo (68 years old), Raniero Pula (77) and Italo De Witt, nicknamed “Deutsche” and 70 years old.
Although these older adults may seem harmless, they were actually part of a dangerous criminal structure.
#Gravitas | Italian police have arrested six robbers in Rome, all between 60 and 70 years old.
The Senior Robbers group is known for robbing post offices with guns.
The main leader is 70-year-old Italo De Witt, also known as “the German”, who… pic.twitter.com/BEozM2VexQ
– WION (@WIONews) February 19, 2024
This gang was reportedly very well organized. For example, I had a 68-year-old man who specialized in making keys to open locks.
In addition, the group consisted of two bricklayers, aged 51 and 56, who were responsible for opening the holes through which the gang entered the post offices.
The prosecution explained that these criminals’ base of operations was a bar from which they planned their attacks.
“With rare exceptions, they do not communicate by telephone because they do not want to risk being discovered due to their years of criminal experience,” investigators told Roma Today.
A crime story
Sandro, Raniero and Italo had almost 50 years of history as thieves.
However, one of their recent robbery plans did not go as expected and they were caught red-handed by police in November.
This is how these three criminals were arrested, which proves that time has not changed people in this case.
Police began pursuing them after they committed a mail robbery in May 2023.
That’s when three men wearing masks, hats and sunglasses broke into this headquarters and intimidated staff with weapons to steal 195,000 euros ($211,000).
Investigators determined that these men were planning more robberies; but his plans began to be damaged by several factors.
Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported that one of the robberies was called off because the key-making expert fell ill and had to undergo prostate surgery.
So on November 6th, the gang tried to carry out a new coup, without suspecting that the police were pursuing them.
The bricklayers were responsible for drilling a hole in the wall to make it easier for the three leaders to enter the post office.
When they tried to escape with loot of 152,000 euros ($165,000), they were captured by police.
“The gang has been accused of at least nine attacks at post offices, banks and attacks on armored vehicles. There could have been ten, but they were arrested before a robbery at the post office near the FAO building,” La Reppública reported.
Because of their criminal records, the six criminals were sentenced to four years in prison, but their story seems to have been taken from a movie.
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