Italian Tourist Falls Victim to Violent Assault and Robbery in Sancti Spíritus

AREQUIPA, Peru – Two of the three criminals involved in the violent robbery against an Italian citizen identified as Salvatore Gonario in Sancti Spíritus have already been arrested and have confessed, provincial authorities reported.

A report from Radio Sancti Spíritus indicates that the crime occurred around 11:00 PM on April 18, near the Siguaney junction.

On that date, three individuals in a rented car flashed their vehicle’s lights at Gonario, who was traveling in a vehicle rented from Transtur Habana.

Rolando Rodríguez Carmenate, head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Ministry of the Interior (MININT) in the province, recounted that an individual carrying a firearm got out of the vehicle signaling to the tourist, threatened him with the gun, and demanded that he get out of the car.

The Italian tourist did not immediately comply with the threats, so the thief violently pulled him out of the car, took the keys, and both vehicles left the scene.

During the assault, they stole a total of 1,300 euros from Gonario, as well as almost all his belongings that were inside the Transtur rented car.

“From that moment, a task force was created, comprised of various specialized units within MININT, which did not rest for a second, especially due to the presence of a firearm,” the report indicates.

Rodríguez Carmenate stated that, on April 26, an operation was designed that concluded with the capture of two of the three criminals involved, based on prior knowledge from MININT’s operatives that the vehicle stolen from the Italian citizen would be transported to Havana by some of the accused.

They were arrested at the Tres Palmas junction on the Yaguajay-Sancti Spíritus highway. In the stolen vehicle were the driver, his girlfriend, and also his father.

“Immediately, we collected the criminal evidence that allowed us to make comparisons, and we transported the citizens to the Criminal Investigation Unit in Sancti Spíritus, where they are currently detained,” the officer noted.

During the interrogations, both father and son confessed. They both acknowledged that they were traveling towards Havana and near the Cupet of Taguasco, they noticed that a tourist was alone in his car, which led one of them to suggest robbing him. However, as the foreigner continued on his way, they followed him along the road from El Majá to Sancti Spíritus, where they committed the crime.

So far, as the official states, no evidence has been found linking the detained woman to the crime against Gonario, “although she was found with more than 73,000 pesos, which she admitted would be used in illicit activities.” The officer reported that some of the belongings stolen from the tourist have been recovered and returned to him. Furthermore, investigations continue and a complaint has been filed with the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office of Sancti Spíritus for the crime of armed robbery. “The accused have been charged in accordance with the Criminal Procedures Law.”

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