“We won't stop here”: after the Cerignola blitz, new operations against car thieves promised

T he day after the maxi blitz that led to the arrest of 25 people in Cerignola , accused of being part of a criminal network dedicated to the theft and recycling of cars , the institutions firmly relaunch the zero tolerance line. Talking about it, during a press conference in Trani, were the police commissioner of the BAT province, Alfredo Fabbrocini , and the public prosecutor of Trani, Renato Nitti , protagonists of the operation “Stolen II” conducted by the State Police.

“It's just a semicolon”

“Today we are marking an important step, but it is not a full stop, it is a semicolon. We will continue on this path” – declared Fabbrocini, underlining that the repressive activity will not stop with the operation just concluded. “We have reduced thefts by almost 30%, but we are not satisfied yet. The goal is to move forward, and to do so with a stable and specialized work team , capable of concrete results like today's”.

According to the police commissioner, the national trend, which for years has been reporting a constant increase in car thefts, has been reversed in the province of Barletta-Andria-Trani: “In the last ten years the numbers were growing. Now, thanks to the work of the investigators and the strategic vision of the Prosecutor's Office, we have given an important signal. But the important thing is not to lower our guard”.

A structured system with roles and hierarchies

Prosecutor Renato Nitti shared the same opinion, speaking bluntly of a criminal organization that "acted like a real crime industry , with two bosses, well-defined roles, stable salaries and a structure capable of absorbing even the impact of precautionary measures".

The heart of the investigation focused on what happened after the thefts : the dismemberment of the vehicles, the transport of mechanical components, the creation of pallets ready for packaging and shipping , even beyond national borders. “There are elements that have emerged,” Nitti explained, “that will lead us to delve deeper into the thread linked to the foreign destination of many stolen parts.”

The prosecutor also highlighted the need to maintain high levels of vigilance: “We must continue to be present, because precautionary measures must strike constantly , as criminal activities attempt to resume. The goal is not only to reduce the phenomenon, but to eliminate it definitively ”.

A long-term strategy

Operation “Stolen II”, which began on May 12, is part of a broader plan aimed at containing and progressively dismantling criminal chains linked to car theft and spare parts trafficking. According to the Police, autonomous but coordinated cells were active in the dismantled network, capable of stealing up to seven vehicles a day, operating in various areas of Puglia and Abruzzo.

The repressive action will continue with new investigations, also in collaboration with the authorities of other countries. The hope, reiterated several times, is that this operational model will become a permanent protocol to fight organized crime . And that Cerignola – for years a crossroads of illicit trafficking – can finally change course.

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