Mass return of pickpockets in the historic center amid threats and impunity. Gangs of Romanians unleashed
VENICE – There is mass tourism, pickpockets too. What is really missing is a capillary control on the different gangs that for months have returned to haunt Venice and, with their misdeeds, to leave a bad memory of the city and of the visit. There local police it has a dedicated anti-snatch team every day, made up of experienced agents and able to instantly recognize a suspicious movement. And, if necessary, also to block and neutralize the criminals.
Between July and this decade of August about ten men and women were arrested in flagrant crime, but then they go back free and the tour begins again. And it is evident that a fight against the phenomenon can only be done with the participation of all police, with three plainclothes patrols. The numbers to keep them standing consistently do not seem to exist and therefore it goes on like this, with criminals who are denounced, arrested, continue to accumulate convictions, but who until the accumulation necessary to enter prison (three years) is reached. to massacre of wallets and to make the unfortunates cry when they are robbed.
MORE FEARBIBLE BANDS
A new escalation of the phenomenon is given by the return ofand male bands, mostly formed by Romanians, very determined and formed by people who do not hesitate to threaten and lead their hands if necessary. Since these characters arrived, gangs of pregnant Roma girls (mostly Bosnian and Croatian) have stepped aside or stayed in areas not beaten by men. They know, in fact, that they could also spend a bad quarter of an hour.
Now these thieves have moved on to phase two: that of to threaten openly those who disturb their criminal “work”, that is, people who warn potential victims of danger.
THE THREATS
The “undistracted citizens” are normal people, who however spend a few hours of their day reporting gangs and foiling pickpockets. They used to stop the perpetrators caught red-handed, but this type of activity has also become dangerous.
It is well known that pregnant girls insulted and spat at those who disturbed them, and there have also been episodes of aggression there. But the scale has changed since the male bands entered “service”.
THE JOKE
“Last Thursday – says one of them – around 1 pm I noticed that three well-known pickpockets had placed themselves in front of the narrow calle that leads from Campiello dei Meloni to Sant’Aponal to wait for groups of tourists to be lightened. When they tried to rob an old man I shouted “Warning! Caution!” and the victim turned and blew up the theft. One of the thieves came towards me threatening me and telling me “Fatti i c … yours”. But it’s not over – he continues – because on Monday I was on the street, always in that area with my wife and a friend of hers and the three recognized me. One came up and showed me some photos of me from his mobile phone, telling me “We know where you live”. Then she spat in my face. ‘
In the early afternoon of yesterday, the epilogue.
“We went to the carabinieri to make a complaint and we told the story – he concludes – but they took it as a report and not as a complaint because there must be no relevant crimes. At this point, we might as well not intervene, because it is useless to receive insults and threats from people who are always free. Or the authorities move, starting with Prosecutor’s Office, Prefecture and Police Headquarters, or we give up. Being altruistic is fine, even being threatened is just too much ».