Thieves surprised the geologist: new details of a high-profile robbery in Naples

Bandits dug a 12-meter tunnel to rob a bank branch in Naples. New details of the high-profile incident are reported by the author of the public "Italy in Russian" Anton Gross.

"While the whole of Naples is discussing the robbery of the century, investigators are trying to understand the scale of the preparation that was hidden under the bridge areas of Vomero. It was not a spontaneous raid. It was an engineering project implemented in the mud, sewage and suffocating fumes of the sewer. A gang of "professional underground workers" had been digging the tunnel for weeks, maybe months. 12 meters in length, less than a meter high — a narrow gap in the bowels of the city, cut completely by hand, " the publication says.

Geologist Gianluca Minin, who compiled a 3D model of the excavation, is amazed: the robbers used nature itself. In order not to take out mountains of earth on the street (and not to attract attention), they used streams of water in the sewers to flush the excavated soil. Work stopped during heavy rains when the tunnel became too dangerous, but resumed again.

But the most amazing thing turned out to be in the vault. The robbers did not act at random. They opened about a hundred cells, but they were interested in a specific sector — the one that belonged to former clients of the branch on Via Scarlatti. The fact is that these were old, unarmored safes that were moved to a new office after the closure of the old branch. While modern safes were protected by the latest systems, a regular screwdriver was enough for the robbers to open the "heritage" from via Scarlatti.

The investigation is confident that the gang had a "mole" or someone who provided confidential information about the vulnerability of these cells.

Leaving through the sewers, the gang left behind tools, generators and two toy guns without red plugs. Carabinieri and cavers who descended into the mines found that the underground passage branches in five directions. One of them leads to the area of San Martino - the perfect way to disappear. Although the robbers worked in masks, it is noticeable in the video that their hands were open. Whether they left fingerprints in a hurry, the examination will show.

"This robbery will go down in the history of the forensic science of Naples as an example of incredible patience, knowledge of the underground geography of the city and accurate calculation of the weaknesses of the banking system," writes Gross.

EADaily reported that the robbery was committed on April 16. Three robbers who broke into the Crédit Agricole bank branch on Medallion‑d square'Oro was in Naples and, holding 25 hostages, opened a number of safes, disappeared through the sewers while the special forces were storming.

According to the testimony of the hostages, the robbers "were Neapolitans, behaved decisively, but politely."