Masked robbers armed with Kalashnikovs attacked an armored truck on a motorway in southern Italy, blowing off its doors before leading police on a chase. The heist took place on the 613 state road between Lecce and Brindisi in Puglia shortly after dawn on Monday.
Dramatic Highway Robbery in Southern Italy
Videos captured by motorists showed at least six masked men, some wearing white overalls, emerging from vehicles parked around the armored van. Some of the individuals were seen holding firearms and taking cover behind cars as others approached the van.
An explosion then ripped off the van’s back doors and roof, sending smoke and debris into the sky, in scenes reminiscent of the 1969 film The Italian Job. The armed men then offloaded some of the van’s contents into a car.
“The money transported in the armoured van was not stolen because after the explosion, the system’s Spumablock [a security system activated by remote control] came into action,” said Colonel Cristian Marello, head of the Carabinieri’s Lecce division.
A red van, stolen approximately a week prior from a rental company called Over Rent, was set on fire to block the motorway, according to the company’s owner, Carlo Casafina, and confirmed by police.
During the getaway, the robbers fired upon pursuing Carabinieri officers. A photograph circulated showing a bullet hole in the windscreen of a Carabinieri vehicle near the driver’s seat. Defence Minister Guido Crosetto stated that no officers or civilians were injured, praising the professionalism and dedication of the responding forces.
Two individuals from Foggia, aged 38 and 61, have been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, aggravated robbery, carrying war weapons and explosives, and resisting public officials. They were apprehended while fleeing through a field after abandoning an Alfa Romeo car.
“The search for the other accomplices continues,” Marello said. “We believe eight people participated in the assault.”
Puglia ranks second among Italy’s 20 regions for the number of attacks on armored vehicles. From 2019 to 2023, approximately €1.6 billion worth of valuables were stolen, according to Savip, the union for security guards.
A similar assault targeting €3 million occurred a few kilometers from Monday’s incident earlier in 2024.
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