Robbery at Bennet: alleged mastermind arrested in Ticino (cross-border guide)

Context

In brief

• A 32-year-old resident of the Bellinzona area arrested
• A 25-year-old resident in the province of Monza also arrested
• Stroili jewelry store at Bennet in Tavernola targeted
• Loot estimated at around 90'000 euro

Key facts

• Arrests: Friday 25 settembre
• Investigation: Como State Police
• Robbery: 24 aprile
• Location: Bennet in Tavernola, Como
• Detention: Bassone prison

The arrest in Como

On Friday 25 settembre, the Como State Police arrested a 32-year-old Italian man residing in the Bellinzona area as part of the investigation into the armed robbery at the Stroili jewelry store in the Bennet shopping center in Tavernola, Como. According to initial reconstructions, the man was allegedly the mastermind of the criminal group.

In the same operation, a 25-year-old resident of the province of Monza was arrested. The two measures were carried out on the basis of a pre-trial detention order issued by the judge for preliminary investigations in Como at the request of the Public Prosecutor's Office. Both were transferred to the Como prison, the Bassone prison.

The robbery for which the investigation was launched dates back to 24 aprile. Four people, all disguised, had reached the jewelry store in a rental car. One of the members had remained at the wheel, while the other three had entered the shop with their faces covered by balaclavas.

The three who entered the jewelry store were armed with a pistol and had hammers. After threatening the employees with the weapon, they had smashed the glass display cases and taken possession of numerous gold jewelry items. The total value of the goods had been estimated at around 90'000 euro.

The last two arrests came after those of the other three members of the group, carried out by the Como Mobile Squad between April and May. According to the investigation, the case thus involves all the alleged participants in the raid that took place in the Tavernola shopping center.

Operational details

The reconstruction of the heist

The robbery at the Stroili jewelry store in Bennet in Tavernola had been prepared using a rental car. Four people were inside, all disguised. One had remained at the wheel; the other three had reached the store to carry out the heist.

Inside the jewelry store, the three had their faces covered by balaclavas and had entered with a pistol and hammers. The employees had been threatened with the weapon. The hammers had been used to smash the glass display cases, from which numerous gold jewelry items had been taken.

The operation had unfolded in a few minutes. Before fleeing, the people who had entered the store had managed to take jewelry with a total estimated value of around 90'000 euros. The robbery had been described as particularly violent and similar to a scene from a Hollywood action film.

The arrests and the stolen goods

The investigations by the Como Mobile Squad had led to the arrest of the other three members of the group between April and May. Subsequent inquiries had enabled investigators to reconstruct, according to the prosecution, the roles of the various participants.

Investigators had also gathered evidence against the alleged mastermind. During searches carried out after the arrests, part of the stolen goods had been recovered before they could enter the channels for handling stolen goods.

The recovered jewelry had subsequently been returned to the jewelry store. The recovery was one of the developments in the investigation into the robbery of 24 April, together with the evidence collected by the Mobile Squad to reconstruct the roles of the people involved, according to the prosecution.

Key points

The continuation of the investigation

With the arrests carried out on Friday 25 September, the investigation into the 24 April robbery now involves all the alleged participants in the heist. The latest measure concerns the 32-year-old Italian resident in the Bellinzonese area and the 25-year-old resident in the province of Monza, while the other three arrests had already been carried out between April and May.

The two men arrested on Friday were remanded in custody at the Como prison, Bassone. The order was issued by the investigating judge in Como at the request of the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The arrest therefore represents the latest development reported in the investigation by the Como State Police.

Responsibility still to be established

The source specifies that the responsibility of the two arrested men, as well as that of the other suspects, will have to be established during the subsequent stages of the proceedings. This also concerns the role attributed to the 32-year-old: according to initial reconstructions, the man was allegedly the mastermind of the criminal group.

The investigations enabled investigators to reconstruct, according to the prosecution, the roles of the various participants and to gather evidence also against the alleged instigator. These are the elements on which the proceedings will continue after the two men’s transfer to Bassone prison.

The developments already reported also include searches carried out following the arrests and the recovery of part of the stolen goods. The jewelry had been returned to the jewelry store before it could enter the channels for handling stolen goods. The assessment of responsibility remains entrusted to the subsequent stages of the proceedings, as specified for all the suspects.

Source: tio.ch