Sicilian woman posing as carabiniere arrested for jewelry fraud and assault in Palermo

Carabinieri from the Grisì station, assisted by colleagues in Camporeale, arrested a 50‑year‑old woman from Siracusa who was already known to law‑enforcement. She had pretended to be a carabiniere on the phone and convinced an 88‑year‑old resident of Palermo that her daughter was detained for a jewelry theft. The fraudster demanded that the victim hand over gold jewellery worth about €3,500 for a fictitious “technical confrontation”. She arrived at the victim’s home, collected the valuables and, when the victim’s grandson returned, kicked and struck him. Police were alerted via emergency number 112, intervened quickly, recovered the stolen items and returned them to the rightful owner. A Palermo judge validated the arrest and ordered pre‑trial detention at the Pagliarelli‑Lorusso prison. Investigations continue to identify any accomplices. The Carabinieri urged citizens to be wary of unsolicited phone requests for money or valuables and to report such incidents promptly.