A British tourist was targeted and robbed of his valuable watch, estimated to be worth €20,000 (approximately £17,000), by two young men in Florence, Italy. The incident occurred as the tourist was with his wife and daughter outside a restaurant.
CCTV footage captured one of the assailants approaching the victim and quickly snatching the watch from his wrist. The accomplice then reportedly deployed pepper spray towards the family to create chaos and facilitate their escape. In response, the victim attempted to pursue the robbers.
Italian police were able to track down the suspects, aged 19 and 22, to a local B&B. They were arrested on charges of aggravated robbery and taken into custody. The stolen watch, identified by a missing strap component, was found at the accommodation and returned to its owner. A can of pepper spray was also confiscated.
Two other men, aged 21 and 26, were found at the B&B with the arrested suspects. They were charged with receiving stolen goods. The 26-year-old was also found to be residing in Italy illegally and was transferred to a detention center for deportation proceedings.
Florence, a city that attracts approximately 10 million tourists annually, has been dealing with a persistent issue of pickpocketing and petty theft targeting visitors in its city center and on public transport. This incident highlights ongoing concerns for tourist safety in the popular Italian destination. Similar challenges with opportunistic crime are also reported in other Italian cities, such as Venice, where authorities and residents are working to combat these activities.