• The thieves posed as police officers to stop highway traffic.
  • Explosives were planted on the van, ripping open the doors.
  • Two of the suspects were arrested after a police pursuit.

Watching this cell phone video, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a scene straight out of a big-budget Hollywood action film. But no, it’s real. A group of masked assailants in fake a Alfa Romeo squad car stopped traffic and attacked an armored van in Italy earlier this week, even exchanging gunfire with local police as they tried to flee the scene.

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The ambush unfolded around 8 a.m. on Monday along a major highway in the Puglia region. Incredible footage captured by a passerby shows the precise moment the gang surrounded the armored vehicle and detonated an explosive, blasting off its doors and roof. Moments later, they advanced on foot, brandishing AK-47s in broad daylight.

How the Attack Was Staged

Several of the attackers wore balaclavas and either all-black outfits or white overalls, according to witnesses. The van itself belonged to Battistolli, a private security firm, and debris from the blast sent parts of the vehicle flying as smoke engulfed the scene.

Authorities believe the gang, made up of roughly a dozen individuals, blocked the motorway by setting a truck on fire and used vehicles fitted with flashing blue lights to pose as police. This forced the armored van to a stop. At least one of the vehicles reportedly used to mimic law enforcement was a silver Alfa Romeo Stelvio.

According to a report from the Independent, it wasn’t long before the real police showed up at the scene, engaging in a gunfight with the masked thieves. A police chase ensued through the town of Squinzano. Police were able to detain two men who fled in an Alfa Romeo, but others remain on the run. No one was injured in the gun battle or the pursuit.

Police also recovered a Jeep near the scene, though it’s unclear what role it played in the operation.

Loose Ends And Open Questions

It’s unclear how much money the gang of brazen thieves managed to steal from the armored van. Some reports indicate they made off with a significant haul, while others suggest they were unable to steal anything. Regardless, local authorities are now on the hunt for the remaining fugitives.

Investigators believe the gang may have originated from Foggia, a province within Puglia known for high levels of organized crime. Between 2019 and 2023, armored vehicle attacks in the region reportedly accounted for over €1.6 billion in stolen valuables, according to Savip, the union for security guards.

“Once again, the Carabinieri found themselves on the front lines of an extremely violent and organised criminal act,” local secretary general Nicola Magno said after the heist. “The fact that a patrol was hit by gunfire demonstrates the high level of risk to which our officers are exposed on a daily basis. It is only thanks to the professionalism, composure, and sense of duty of our colleagues that today we are not talking about a tragedy.”

Fake Squad Car Blocks Traffic And Blows Up Armored Van In Broad Daylight
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