Suspected scammer caught attempting to steal from elderly woman in Ariano Irpino.
On Saturday afternoon, the Carabinieri of Ariano Irpino arrested a 24-year-old man from Naples for attempting to defraud an elderly woman, continuing their crackdown on scams targeting the elderly. The scam followed a familiar pattern: the man posed as a Carabinieri officer and called the elderly woman, claiming that her son had been involved in an accident. He demanded a large sum of money to avoid her son’s arrest.
While the son, who was home at the time, spoke to the scammer, the fraudulent officer instructed him to visit the Carabinieri Station in Ariano Irpino to resolve the matter. Suspecting a scam, the real Carabinieri acted quickly. They alerted patrol units and arrived at the woman’s home, where they found the scammer, who had already taken 24,500 euros in cash from the victim and was attempting to steal additional valuables.
The man was arrested on the spot. A subsequent search of his vehicle revealed 0.468 grams of crack cocaine and a knife with an 8 cm blade. Both items were seized, and the man was charged with unlawful possession of items intended for harm. Additionally, he was reported to the Prefecture of Avellino as a drug user.
The 24-year-old was transferred to the Ariano Irpino Correctional Facility while investigations continue under the direction of the Benevento Public Prosecutor’s Office. Authorities are working to identify his accomplices and uncover any other potential victims.
