Staff threatened and beaten Italian gang robs Swiss petrol stations - 6 perpetrators arrested
Following a series of armed robberies in the border region of Ticino, the Italian police have arrested six suspected gang members. The suspects are said to have targeted petrol stations.
12.10.2025, 11:19
12.10.2025, 12:21
SDA
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- Six suspected members of a gang responsible for armed robberies in the Swiss border region have been arrested in Italy.
- The perpetrators used false license plates and operated in small groups, robbing petrol stations in particular and threatening or injuring staff.
- After the robberies, they returned to Italy, where they divided up the loot of several tens of thousands of francs.
Police in Piacenza, Italy, have arrested six suspected members of a gang specializing in robberies. The suspects are said to have committed their crimes in the part of Ticino close to the border.
The arrested men came from North Africa and South America, reported the Italian news agencies Ansa and Adnkronos on Sunday. They had each driven from northern Italy to Switzerland with false license plates to avoid being identified.
On the Swiss side, the suspects split up into small groups to commit the robberies. Most of the crimes concerned petrol stations in the area around Balerna (TI). The suspected robbers threatened the cashiers with handguns and in some cases beat their victims.
Switzerland obtained international arrest warrants
The suspects then drove back to Italy, reinstalled the original license plates and divided up the loot, it was reported. The sum seized amounted to several tens of thousands of francs.
According to reports, the Swiss authorities had obtained international arrest warrants for the suspects before the arrests in Italy.
