A 20-year-old man from southern Italy was arrested in the town of Arce after attempting to scam a 78-year-old widow by posing as a carabinieri officer. The suspect called the woman, falsely claiming her son was involved in a robbery and that her jewelry needed to be checked.
The plan unraveled when the woman’s son - a real carabinieri officer stationed in Ceprano - arrived at her home while off duty. Realizing the situation, he played along, pretending to be the victim’s husband while alerting his colleagues.
Officers from nearby units set up surveillance, and when an accomplice arrived to collect the valuables, he was immediately apprehended.