Fugitive arrested at Eurospin supermarket in Piantedo thanks to shop worker
Riccardo Mazzina, 34, from Colico, wanted under a custodial order, was stopped by Carabinieri inside an Eurospin supermarket in Piantedo after fleeing between the shelves.
Fleeing between the shelves: fugitive caught with cassier's help
A man wanted under a custodial order was arrested in late morning on Friday inside the Eurospin supermarket in Piantedo, on the former state road 38, after attempting to flee between departments in front of dozens of customers. According to laprovinciaunicatv.it.
He was caught through a combination of a patrol car from the operations and mobile radio unit of the Chiavenna Carabinieri Company and a shop worker at the outlet, who blocked the fugitive with a shoulder barge at the right moment.
The stolen Fiat Punto on the car park
Everything began when the military personnel, during a patrol operation, noticed a grey Fiat Punto on the supermarket car park that had been reported stolen in Mantello in the night between Monday and Tuesday. In the preceding days, the same vehicle had not stopped at roadblocks set up in the Lower Valtellina. The Carabinieri decided to enter the shopping centre to verify the presence of a suspicious individual.
A few minutes inside and they recognised Riccardo Mazzina, 34, from Colico, already known to law enforcement for an extensive list of reports and convictions for drug dealing, theft, vandalism and other offences. Mazzina had been released from Marassi prison in Genoa approximately one month earlier, after six months in custody. Subject to a reporting obligation at the Colico Carabinieri barracks, he had repeatedly violated the precautionary measure, prompting the judge to revoke it and issue a custodial order. However, law enforcement had not been able to apprehend him until that moment.
The dash between departments and the cashier's intervention
When Mazzina noticed the uniforms, backpack on his shoulder, he began running from one department to another in an attempt to evade arrest. He was stopped by Vincenzo La Leggia, 30, originally from Mazzarino in Sicily and resident in Valtellina for work, employed as a cashier and warehouse worker at the Eurospin.
"I heard the Carabinieri shouting to stop that individual who was running towards me — La Leggia recounted — and without thinking for a second, when he reaches my height I put him out of action with a light shoulder barge." Brigadier Massimiliano Santarelli then immobilised Mazzina in a matter of seconds.
La Leggia added that he had recognised the man already the day before, when he had come to the supermarket to make a purchase: "I recognised him straight away from his backpack." The employee also reported that in the commotion of the moment a girl, who appeared to be accompanying Mazzina, managed to get away. The incident occurred between midday and half past twelve. Hours later, Brigadier Santarelli returned to the outlet to thank him in person.
The commander's statement
"No one was hurt and my officers executed the magistrate's order to the best of their ability," declared Captain Aldo Leone, commander of the Chiavenna Carabinieri Company. Mazzina was taken to Sondrio prison on via Caimi. To the previous charges are now added receiving stolen goods and resisting a public official.
Source: Google News IT — Crime (it)