A man from the province of Caserta was arrested in Colle Sannita after Carabinieri stopped him while he was driving a suspicious car in a central square wearing a polo shirt used by a police force.
The checks were conducted by the Carabinieri Stations of Colle Sannita and San Marco dei Cavoti, coordinated by the San Bartolomeo in Galdo Company. The suspect was already known to law enforcement.
According to the report, officers established that the man did not belong to any police force. He was also driving with a suspended licence.
During the stop, officers seized the vehicle, the polo shirt, a glass cutter and a utility knife.
The man was arrested for possession of counterfeit distinctive signs. He was also reported to the Benevento Public Prosecutor's Office for carrying objects capable of causing harm.
For driving with a suspended licence, he received a 2,046-euro administrative fine, and the vehicle was placed under administrative seizure.
Following the arrest, the man was taken to Benevento prison on the orders of the judicial authority. He must be considered presumed innocent until a final judgment is issued. The available sources do not state his name, age or exact place of residence, nor whether the arrest was subsequently validated.
Checks linked to prevention of scams against elderly people
The operation took place against the background of intensified checks aimed at preventing scams against elderly people, including the telephone scam based on the "fake police officer" method.
In this type of scam, offenders present themselves as members of a police force in order to gain victims' trust. The Carabinieri have described targeted anti-fraud activity in the Colle Sannita area concerning frauds of this kind.
Citizen cooperation in local anti-fraud operations
The Carabinieri describe cooperation from residents as an important element in identifying suspected offenders in comparable anti-fraud operations in the Colle Sannita area.
That cooperation has supported joint work between residents and local stations in cases involving attempted fraud against elderly victims. The sources do not state whether a specific offence was allegedly planned in this case, or what use was allegedly intended for the seized glass cutter and utility knife.
