Messina fake Carabiniere scam leads to arrests

In Messina, Carabinieri from the Castanea delle Furie station arrested a 42‑year‑old man of Catania origin and a 20‑year‑old Romanian woman after they attempted an aggravated fraud against an 82‑year‑old woman. The suspects pretended a magistrate had authorized a Carabiniere to inspect the victim’s jewelry, claiming the items might be linked to a recent theft in the city. While the pair tried to collect the jewels, the victim’s husband noticed the ruse, drove the scammers away and called emergency services (112). The detailed description provided by the victim enabled police to locate and detain the perpetrators nearby, and they were transferred to the Messina detention facility.

The operation demonstrates the Carabinieri’s cooperation with judicial authorities to combat scams targeting vulnerable seniors, emphasizing that genuine law‑enforcement officials never request personal valuables for investigative checks.