Panic gripped the A14 Bologna-Taranto motorway on Monday afternoon. Shortly before 6:30 p.m., two armored vans carrying cash and valuables were targeted by an armed group near the toll booths. The robbers, armed with semi-automatic weapons and explosives, tried to stop the vehicles by throwing three-pronged nails into the asphalt and shooting out the tires of a tanker truck parked alongside.
The plan failed and the criminals escaped empty-handed. The security forces in armored vehicles remained unharmed. The attack caused a complete traffic jam and the highway was closed in both directions. The traffic police and the Macerata Police Headquarters immediately launched a plan against the robbers.
According to the investigation, the perpetrators acted in a coordinated manner. Initially, they reportedly fired several shots to scare security officers and create panic among other drivers. Then an explosion was heard. Triple-pointed nails were found on the asphalt, indicating that the group had carefully planned the attack. A tanker truck parked across the road was supposed to block the road and force the vans to stop, but the quick intervention of security guards and the arrival of patrols thwarted the plan.
After a moment of tension, the perpetrators reportedly fled across the fields, later setting fire to a car in Porto Potenza Picena that may have been used in the robbery attempt.
The Macerata Police Headquarters immediately activated an anti-robbery plan. Roadblocks were set up at various points in the province, while forensic police officers conducted investigations at the scene.
Investigators are analyzing footage from security cameras along the highway to identify the vehicles used by the bandits. It is not ruled out that the group has a history of similar robberies in central Italy.