The Flying Squad of the Cagliari Police arrested a 58-year-old man, Massimo Perria, accused of being responsible for at least 8 aggravated thefts committed in the capital against the elderly .

Among the victims was also a 90-year-old woman , from whom the man stole over 70,000 euros (life savings), which the old woman kept in her bedroom bedside table.

Investigators ascertained that the hits were all carried out with the same modus operandi : the 58-year-old showed up at the home of the victims, all over eighty, posing as an employee of Abbanoa .

To convince the elderly to let him in, he said he had to pay back money paid with a bill, the amount of which, however, was higher than the actual consumption of water.

So the man had a banknote changed in order to settle his accounts or asked to open all the taps in the house, to check that the meter was working correctly. Then, taking advantage of a moment of distraction on the part of the elderly, he was able to find money and jewellery, usually kept in drawers or wardrobes. Finally, he vanished with the loot.

During the investigation, the men of the Flying Squad searched the suspect's house and seized over 28 thousand euros in cash , hidden inside the dumpster of a roller shutter, various gold objects and numerous empty jewelery cases. A motorcycle and a car purchased by the man immediately after the 70 thousand euro "hit" were also subjected to preventive seizure.

The investigations by the Section for crimes against the property of the furniture began right after this massive theft and concerned seven other similar events, which took place in the city between 2017 and 2022. The investigators reconstructed the various episodes by picking up and studying dozens of files , in search of cases that presented the same particularities.

The images of the cameras present near the homes of the victims were also decisive for framing the 58-year-old. Precisely thanks to the videos and the "measurement" of the somatic features through the various frames, the Scientific Police managed to trace the physiognomy of the man, who was then traced.

During the eight thefts under investigation, a total of over 73,000 euros and jewels worth around 10,000 euros were stolen.

The State Police of Cagliari is now appealing for those who have suffered thefts in similar circumstances to report it. The complaint is also useful for identifying the owners of the jewels and the numerous empty cases found at the 58-year-old's home.

(Unioneonline/lf)

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