He had only left the prison on November 2nd. He has since landed an impressive series of thefts and muggings, which investigators are still dealing with. Among the victims of Daniel Hrustic, born in Rome 23 years ago, also a university professor, economist, manager and consultant for public and private entities. The 48-year-old woman was injured in her left hand when the alleged perpetrator snatched her bag while racing across the sidewalk in Via Torino on a stolen scooter. It was December, but for some weeks now the police and carabinieri have been dealing with a sudden surge of “snatches” and robberies, all in the center, between the Esquilino, Piazza Venezia, Via Veneto and Monti. In the end, the boy was identified and arrested by the investigative team of the Viminal police station, but in a short time he had also collected a complaint from the Trevi-Campo Marzio district, from the carabinieri of the command in Piazza Venezia, as well as those of the Vittorio Veneto and Quirinale stations.

THE RECONSTRUCTIONS

In some days, according to what, reconstructed by the investigators, he could put a sign even two or three hits in a day. A workaholic of robberies, following a sort of family tradition: his cousin Bronson Hrustic, 29, was after being arrested on November 23rd having hit three police officers in Pigneto. He too boasted an average of two robberies a day. And he too had immediately got back to work as soon as he got out of prison. Daniel Hrustic, despite his young age, knew how to blend in in the city: the scooters stolen to use the shots were always parked far from his hunting ground.

THE CAMOUFLAGE

The 23-year-old had more telephone accounts available, which he used very little, preferring to use smartphones to communicate via the web. Hrustic probably knew the circle around him was tightening just before Christmas. Among the few calls from mobile phones he used (made out to other people) there are some addressed to some lawyers. After a period of relative calm, Hrustic hit a barrage again: between the evening of 9 January and the morning of 10, he snatched and robbed five people. Among them also a nun of almost 80 years, plundered in Piazza dell’Esquilino.
For days the investigators had the presumed responsible identifier, but at least they didn’t understand where he slept, until last Monday evening. Their intuition led them to intercept Hrustic near Monteverde, where the boy had just visited a prostitute and boarded an Alfa 156 in the name of another person. A car that the young man drove without ever having obtained a license, and which inside kept luxury bags, Airpods and money, clothes and shoes identical to those used in shots and the Postepay card belonging to his robbed suara.
At that point Hrustic decided to collaborate by accompanying the agents in the caravan he used as a refuge, between via Val Trompia and via Nomentana. Inside were other luxury bags and accessories. The alleged perpetrator also indicated to investigators the place where he had parked one of the stolen scooters, before being arrested on charges of theft and robbery.