On the afternoon of last Wednesday 6 September, a crew of the Flying Squad of the State Police of Lamezia Terme intervened at the Church of Santa Chiara in via Felice Scalzo, where a man had been reported who, after having entered the church, had damaged the collector of the faithful's offerings and then fleeing on an electric bicycle.
The Police who intervened on the spot, having acquired the first information from the Missionary Friars and those present, ascertained that the man, in addition to damaging the alms box, had removed the precious relic of Saint Francis of Assisi, of inestimable value, containing part of the ashes of the Saint, which was kept in a shrine exposed to the adoration of the faithful in the nave of the church and a shrine holding "particle".
The immediate and timely investigations launched by the men of the Lamezia Terme PS Police Station, through the collection of testimonies from those present and the viewing of the images of the video surveillance systems in the area, made it possible to acquire further information which proved to be particularly useful for the continuation of investigations.
On the basis of the investigative elements collected, a widespread and incessant search for the alleged perpetrator of the theft was launched, which ended, in a very short time, with the identification and identification by the police officers of a man 50 year old criminal from Lamezia, intercepted and surprised while he was riding an electric bike in a street in the city centre, similar to the descriptions of the unknown thief.
The man was subjected to careful checks, during which he was found in possession of the precious "XNUMXst degree relic of the ashes of Saint Francis of Assisi", so called because it contains parts directly attributable to the Saint, of the "particle" holder ”, as well as various tools suitable for burglary.
At the end of the timely investigation, the man was arrested in a state of quasi-inflammation, for the crime of continuous multi-aggravated theft and placed at the disposal of the PM on duty of the Public Prosecutor's Office of Lamezia Terme. Today the arrest was validated and the man was placed under house arrest.
The relic of the ashes of Saint Francis of Assisi, classified as a sacred relic of proclaimed spiritual importance, as well as of inestimable value, was seized and, once the investigation activities were completed, it was returned to the friars of the Church of Santa Chiara.
Given that the measures adopted during the investigative and/or trial phase do not imply any responsibility of the subjects subjected to investigations or accused and that the information on the ongoing criminal proceedings is provided in such a way as to clarify the phase in which the proceedings are pending and to ensure, in in any case, the right of the person under investigation and the accused not to be indicated as guilty until guilt has been established by irrevocable criminal sentence or decree of conviction.