Italian authorities are searching for four suspects following a motorway robbery that saw an armed gang blow up a security van with explosives after blocking traffic with a burning truck on Monday morning.
Police arrested two men near the town of Squinzano in Puglia’s southern region after intercepting their getaway vehicle, a dark blue Alfa Romeo fitted with a blue police light on the roof. The remaining suspects fled the scene at high speed following a shootout with officers.
The robbery occurred between the cities of Lecce and Brindisi, with the gang forcing the cash van to stop by setting a truck alight on the motorway. The burning vehicle prevented police reinforcements from reaching the scene whilst criminals wearing balaclavas ran to the rear of the security van.
Footage captured by passing motorists shows the moment explosives blew the van’s doors off in a blast reminiscent of the iconic Italian Job film. “Look, look, look, look…They are robbing the van, look,” said one onlooker who filmed the explosion on his phone.
Officers who arrived at the scene exchanged gunfire with the group before the suspects escaped in their vehicle disguised to resemble a police car. Eyewitnesses told authorities the culprits fled at high speed before the Alfa Romeo was intercepted, leading to the arrest of two gang members.
Traffic was closed in both directions whilst authorities conducted investigations at the crime scene. The amount of money stolen from the security van remains unknown.
Police believe the gunmen originated from Foggia, a town in Puglia with a reputation as home turf for gangs that regularly target security vans. The southern region also serves as the base for one of Italy’s four mafia “branches” – the Sacra Corona Unita group which operates from cities including Brindisi and Lecce.
Nicola Magno, secretary general of the regional police union, expressed concern for officer safety in the Carabinieri, one of Italy’s main law enforcement agencies and a branch of the armed forces. “Once again, Carabinieri officers find themselves on the front line of a criminal action that is extremely violent and well-organised,” he stated.
Magno noted that a patrol being targeted with shots “shows the high level of risk that our officers are being exposed to on a regular basis.” He credited officer professionalism and composure with preventing a tragedy, stating: “It is only thanks to the professionalism, cool heads and sense of duty of our colleagues that we are not talking about a tragedy.”
The police union secretary called for improved resources to combat criminal gangs, stating officers need better vehicles, training and equipment to tackle organized crime groups operating in the region.
The sophisticated nature of the operation, involving a fake police vehicle, coordinated blocking tactics and explosive devices, demonstrates the planning and resources available to criminal organizations targeting cash transport in southern Italy.
Authorities continue investigating the incident whilst searching for the four outstanding suspects believed to have participated in the raid. The arrests near Squinzano suggest police were able to quickly identify and track at least some members of the gang following the motorway attack.
The manhunt for the remaining suspects continues as investigators work to determine the full extent of the stolen funds and identify all individuals involved in the organized robbery.
