They were on leave from their duties as penitentiary police officers at the Bancali prison. But when they saw a thief fleeing on Saturday evening in Predda Niedda, they didn't hesitate to intervene.
The two noticed a man, possibly a non-EU citizen, running out of the Lidl supermarket in Predda Niedda around 7:15 PM, attempting to hide his face with his hood. Behind him, the store clerk tried to chase him.
At this point, however, the officers who were following him intervened, stopping him 100 meters ahead.
Once stopped, they learned that the person had committed a theft on the premises of the business and so they notified the State Police to whom they handed the thief over.
The incident was brought to light by the USPP penitentiary police union, whose provincial secretary, Gregory Saba, highlighted the two officers' professionalism. "As well as their promptness and the sense of duty demonstrated by their colleagues who intervened," Saba concluded, "who, despite being off duty, acted effectively and responsibly, offering a concrete example of the values and preparation that distinguish the Corps."
