Robbers seize hundreds of safety deposit boxes before fleeing through tunnel.
A gang of armed robbers seized around 25 hostages at a bank in Naples on Thursday before evading capture by fleeing through a hole cut in the floor of the building.
The robbery took place in broad daylight at a branch of the Crédit Agricole bank in Piazza Medaglie d’Oro in the Arenella quarter of the southern Italian city.
Shortly after midday, at least three individuals, their faces concealed by helmets and celebrity actor masks, burst into the branch armed with weapons.
One arrived by motorcycle, while an Alfa Romeo with a counterfeit number plate, believed to have been intended as a getaway vehicle, was found outside.
The men entered the bank at around midday and took control of the premises while staff and customers were inside.
Police operation
Officers surrounded the branch and began efforts to secure the release of those held, as specialist anti-terrorism Carabinieri officers arrived on the scene after being flown in urgently from Tuscany.
Carabinieri secured the surrounding area and, with the assistance of firefighters, used a battering ram to breach the glass entrance of the bank.
Helicopters circled overhead and specialist units searched adjacent buildings and the underground infrastructure of the area.
Momenti di tensione questa sera all’esterno dell’istituto di credito rapinato nel pomeriggio in piazza Medaglie d’Oro. Dai primi accertamenti sarebbero state trafugate circa 300 cassette di sicurezza. I titolari si sono accalcati all’esterno della banca per avere risposte. pic.twitter.com/gUWayAUtA6
— Francesco Borrelli (@NotizieFrance) April 16, 2026
The dramatic, movie-like events unfolded on live television and livestreams from the scene of the crime where a large crowd of bystanders gathered to watch.
All hostages – comprising bank employees and customers – were freed at around 15.00. Six of those released required medical attention for shock, though none sustained serious injuries.
Safety deposit boxes
The robbers are believed to have escaped through a hole cut in the floor or a wall of the bank – a technique associated with so-called banda del buco operations. No suspects were found inside.
The robbers reportedly targeted hundreds of safety deposit boxes, and the amount stolen has not been disclosed.
Around 100 people gathered outside the bank on Thursday evening, news outlet Fanpage reports, as the owners of the safety deposit boxes demanded answers.
Photo credit: Joey Sussman / Shutterstock.com
