Italian Highway Ambush: Robbers Pose as Police, Blow Up Armoured Van in Brazen Raid
In a dramatic and highly organised criminal assault, heavily-armed robbers disguised as police officers blocked a major Italian highway and detonated an armoured cash van during a brazen morning raid in southern Italy. The audacious attack unfolded on State Road 613 in the Puglia region, where masked assailants armed with Kalashnikov rifles brought traffic to a standstill, leaving shocked motorists as helpless witnesses to the violent spectacle.
Elaborate Deception and Explosive Violence
According to detailed Italian media reports, the criminal gang employed a sophisticated ruse to intercept the convoy. Using vehicles fitted with flashing emergency lights, they posed as a legitimate police escort before parking a truck across the carriageway and setting it ablaze, forcing the targeted armoured van to halt. Dramatic footage from the scene captures the moment the bandits crouched behind a car as the armoured vehicle exploded violently on the road, with flames and debris billowing high into the air.
Additional clips filmed by terrified motorists show at least six masked suspects, some clad in distinctive white overalls and brandishing weapons, moving purposefully between vehicles as panicked drivers looked on. The armoured van belonged to Battistolli, a company that operates secure cash transport services across Italy. Reports indicate that other drivers caught in the ambush were also robbed during the chaotic incident.
High-Speed Chase and Arrests
Following the explosion and robbery, the suspects fled the scene, triggering a intense pursuit with the Carabinieri, Italy's military police. During the chase, a police car was struck by three gunshots, and an unmarked police vehicle was deliberately rammed by the fleeing criminals. Officers responding to reports of an Alfa Romeo travelling at dangerously high speeds later discovered the car abandoned in the countryside.
Nearby, authorities arrested one man who attempted to escape on foot, detaining him along with another gang member who also tried to flee. Italian news outlet Sky TG24 reported that the bandits hail from the Foggia area, a region notorious for spawning gangs that specialise in armed robberies targeting armoured vehicles.
Ongoing Manhunt and Official Response
Authorities have confirmed that, miraculously, no one was injured during the violent assault. However, police are actively hunting at least two more suspects believed to be involved. It is reported that other gang members car-jacked passing motorists to aid their escape, adding further layers of criminality to the already complex operation.
Nicola Magno, the Puglia regional secretary general of Un Arma, provided a sobering assessment of the incident. 'Once again, the Carabinieri found themselves on the front lines of an extremely violent and organised criminal act,' he stated. 'The fact that a patrol was hit by gunfire demonstrates the high level of risk to which our officers are exposed on a daily basis. It is only thanks to the professionalism, composure, and sense of duty of our colleagues that today we are not talking about a tragedy.'
The attack, which occurred between the small towns of Cerano and San Pietro Vernotico, underscores the persistent threat posed by organised crime groups in southern Italy and the daring, violent methods they employ to target secure cash transports.
