From philosopher to mayor to thief-catcher. Sassari's mayor, Giuseppe Mascia, had to don the guise of a plainclothes officer on the night between Thursday and Friday to chase down a man who had just stolen a wallet from a car on Via Don Minzoni.
A vehicle that, shortly before, had transported the actor and comedian Massimo Lopez and his manager after the show “Dove eravamo resti”, performed by the former with the trio's former partner, Tullio Solenghi, at the Teatro Comunale.
The wallet had remained in the car, forgotten by Antonio Planetta , owner of the restaurant “Il covo del Conte”, city councilor and long-time friend of Lopez.
The car was left unlocked due to the seat belt being caught in the door jamb. An unknown man approached and took the wallet, but Mascia spotted him and followed him on foot, demanding the return of the stolen goods. The chase continued to Via Matteotti, where the unknown perpetrator threw the wallet on the ground, which was later recovered by the mayor and returned to Planetta. "You have a superhero mayor," commented Massimo Lopez.