Aggravated theft. This is the charge facing a man suspected of being responsible for two separate thefts committed inside businesses in Alghero.
The investigation began following a complaint filed in early April by the owner of a coffee and liquor store, who discovered the loss of two bottles of Champagne, worth a total of €700.
The man, having entered the establishment, headed towards the wine and spirits section and, taking advantage of the absence of other customers in the department, removed the bottles of Champagne from their cases and hid them in his bag. After returning the empty cases to the shelves, he went to the cash register where he paid only for a small packet of coffee, before leaving the establishment undisturbed.
Examination of the internal video surveillance footage and subsequent investigations allowed investigators to isolate the relevant frames. Thanks to the assistance of Forensic Police officers and an automatic image recognition system, it was possible to identify a high degree of physical compatibility with a subject already known to law enforcement.
Further investigations, based on careful comparative analysis of the images, also allowed the officers to link the same individual to a further theft that occurred in April 2025 at a well-known electronics store in the same city.
On that occasion, the man had stolen a hair straightener worth nearly €500, hiding it in a bulky red envelope. Although wearing different clothing, the facial features and build clearly confirmed that it was the same person.
Once the investigation was concluded, the man was tracked down and reported to the judicial authorities.
(Unioneonline)
