Five days after the theft from the basilica of San Nicola in Bari, the booty was found. The sacred objects had been buried in the countryside in the Japigia neighborhood, behind the cottage where the 48-year-old in custody was hiding as he was believed to be the alleged thief. He denies, says he knows nothing of what happened on the night between 21 and 22 March. Investigators, on the other hand, claim to have collected "overwhelming evidence" such as frames outside the Basilica, fingerprints. The man, an abusive valet, was in possession of 1,750 euros in cash, perhaps the deposit for the theft commissioned by someone aimed at taking away the gold ring taken off the finger of the saint's statue, the gospel book and three spheres in silver, in addition to the medallion containing a vial of the sacred manna.
Taken by the cameras, the 48-year-old had fled by bicycle carrying a backpack on his shoulders, the one found in the countryside and with the stolen objects inside.
In the shack where he lived, moreover, there were "some silver jewelry with engravings in the Cyrillic alphabet, a circumstance fully compatible - according to the investigating judge who validated the arrest by arranging the stay in prison - with the stealing of gifts from the Russian Orthodox faithful, commonly offered in homage to the saint during visits to the Basilica ".
(Unioneonline / ss)
