He attempted to defraud an elderly man using the rear-view mirror scam. It happened in Gonnesa, where a thirty-year-old Sicilian, originally from Catania, was reported at large by the Carabinieri of the local station.
The method is now well-known, and perhaps even the elderly man knew about it when, instead of complying with the scammer's demands, he called the police.
By throwing a rock at the victim's car or simulating a thud, the scammers trick the victim into believing they've hit a vehicle on the side of the road or while overtaking. The scammer then chases the victim, shows them the mirror, which was already broken or scratched, and demands cash, which must be handed over immediately to avoid involving the insurance company or the police.
The elderly man, however, became suspicious and immediately called the Carabinieri, providing them with a detailed description of the scammer. The Iglesias Operations Center sent a report, and officers from the Gonnesa station were able to track down the man, an unemployed man already known to law enforcement who was reported for attempted fraud.
(Unioneonline)
