Naples bank robbers hold 25 people hostage then vanish through tunnel
April 16, 2026
The armed men reportedly evaded capture by escaping through the city's sewer system.
A brazen daytime robbery in Naples, Italy, saw a team of armed assailants hold a bank full of staff and customers hostage for two hours before making a stunning escape through a pre-planned underground tunnel. The dramatic events unfolded on Thursday at a Crédit Agricole branch in the city's bustling Arenella district, near the Piazza Medaglie d'Oro, leaving authorities to piece together a meticulously executed heist. The incident began around 11:30 a.m. when three masked and armed individuals entered the bank, immediately taking control and securing approximately 25 people inside.
A large-scale police operation quickly descended upon the area, with officers cordoning off the streets and surrounding the building. For two hours, a tense standoff ensued as law enforcement worked to make contact with the robbers and secure the safety of those trapped inside. Shortly after 1:30 p.m., authorities made the decision to enter the bank, with some reports indicating they smashed windows to gain access. They discovered all the hostages shaken but physically unharmed, though six people were treated for shock at the scene.
To the astonishment of the responding officers, the robbers themselves were nowhere to be found. An immediate search of the premises revealed a hole in the floor, leading to a tunnel connected to the city's subterranean sewer system. This discovery indicated a high level of planning, suggesting the criminals had prior knowledge of the building's layout and its connection to the underground network. A massive manhunt was launched, with police and sanitation workers searching the extensive warren of tunnels beneath the city.
Investigators, including Naples Prosecutor Nicola Gratteri who arrived at the scene, are now examining the full scope of the robbery. While the assailants did not use violence against the hostages, they are believed to have targeted and emptied numerous safe deposit boxes. The total value of the stolen contents remains unknown, as only the individual owners would know what was stored inside. The focus of the investigation now lies in reviewing security footage and witness statements to identify the perpetrators and any potential accomplices.
This elaborate heist is not without precedent in Italy, drawing comparisons to a similar robbery in Milan in 2020, where thieves also used the sewer system to access a bank. The incident in Naples has renewed concerns about the security of financial institutions located in historic city centers with extensive and aging underground infrastructure. As the search for the vanished trio continues, the event serves as a stark reminder of the sophisticated methods employed by organized criminal groups, leaving a major Italian city on high alert.
Source: bbc