Armed Robbers Hold 25 Hostages at Naples Bank Before Fleeing Through Sewer Tunnel
In a dramatic incident that unfolded on Thursday, three armed robbers held 25 people hostage for two hours at a Crédit Agricole bank branch in Naples, Italy. The thieves entered the premises at approximately 11:30 am, taking both staff and customers captive before making a daring escape through a tunnel into the city's sewer network.
Hostages Freed Without Serious Injuries
Thanks to a swift police response, all hostages were successfully freed shortly after 1:30 pm, with no reports of serious injuries. Michele di Bari, the prefect of Naples, confirmed the positive outcome in an official statement, praising the emergency services for their rapid intervention.
Emergency responders were forced to smash windows to gain entry to the bank, located in the piazza Medaglie d'Oro within the Arenella district. By the time authorities breached the building, the robbers had already vanished, reportedly descending through a hole in the bank's floor and into the underground sewers.
Investigation Focuses on Sewer System and Loot
Local authorities, including Naples prosecutor Nicola Gratteri who attended the scene, have launched a comprehensive investigation. The company responsible for managing Naples' water network is currently inspecting the sewer system to trace the robbers' escape route.
It remains unclear whether the perpetrators managed to flee with any loot. According to reports from the local news site Fanpage.it, the robbers are believed to have targeted safety deposit boxes, as there was no cash available inside the bank at the time of the robbery.
Hostage Accounts and Similar Past Incident
One of the hostages, a bank customer, provided a chilling account to Fanpage.it, stating, "I was in the bank when they entered; there was definitely three of them. They came and locked us – customers, employees and the manager – in a room. They were armed but they didn't use violence."
This incident bears a striking resemblance to a previous robbery at a Crédit Agricole branch in Milan in 2020. In that case, two armed robbers entered through the main entrance to hold staff hostage while two accomplices accessed the premises via a maintenance hole after crawling through the sewer network. The gang successfully stole several safe-deposit boxes before escaping through the drains.
The Naples robbery highlights ongoing security challenges for financial institutions in Italy and raises questions about the vulnerability of urban infrastructure to such criminal exploits.
