MilanoTheft at a newsstand in the city center: two arrested, jammer device seized

La State Police arrested a Milano two men, a 30-year-old Cuban citizen and a 47-year-old Chilean citizen, held responsible for a aggravated theft committed in complicity against the owner of a newsstand in the heart of the city. Both, according to authorities, already have numerous criminal records.

The two men spotted on Via Torino

The operation was conducted in the afternoon of Tuesday 4 August 2026 by the agents of the VI Section of the Flying Squad of the Police Headquarters of MilanoThe police officers were engaged in a service specifically designed to combat predatory crimes, with particular attention to thefts committed in commercial businesses and damage to motorists.

During the patrol, investigators noticed the two men walking along Via Torino , one of the busiest streets in central Milan. Their behavior immediately attracted the officers' attention: the two were persistently observing vans, parked cars, and vehicles maneuvering into parking spaces.

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The discreet tailing up to Via Pecorari

Suspicious of the couple's behavior, the police officers decided to follow their movements while keeping their distance, so as not to be detected. The surveillance then turned into a discreet tailing through the streets of downtown. Milano.

The two suspects continued to Via Pecorari , a short walk from the Duomo and Corso Vittorio Emanuele II. According to the Flying Squad's reconstruction, it was in this area that they identified the target: the owner of a newsstand who, at that moment, had briefly left the premises to chat with a customer.

The victim chosen after careful observation

Investigators believe the two men took advantage of the newsagent's temporary absence to commit the theft. The incident described by the police highlights a presumed division of labor, a characteristic that led to the charges of conspiracy.

The 30-year-old Cuban man remained outside the business, tasked with monitoring the street and signaling the owner's return or the arrival of law enforcement. The 47-year-old Chilean man, however, quickly entered the newsstand.

The fanny pack stolen from the business

Once inside the shop, the forty-seven-year-old allegedly located and stole the fanny pack belonging to the newsstand owner . Inside were also some personal effects, including the victim's smartphone.

The attack apparently took place in a matter of moments. After taking the fanny pack, the man left the business and walked away with his alleged accomplice, attempting to blend in with the crowds of people in the city center.

The escape towards Corso Vittorio Emanuele

The Flying Squad officers, who had followed the entire sequence, intervened immediately without losing sight of the two suspects. The couple was caught and stopped not far from the scene of the theft, in Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, one of the main pedestrian and commercial areas of Milano.

The swift intervention prevented the two men from moving further away and allowed investigators to recover at least some of the items stolen from the newsstand owner.

The smartphone recovered by the agents

During the searches, the Cuban citizen was found in possession of the victim's smartphone . The phone had been stripped of its SIM card, which, according to the officers' reconstruction, the thirty-year-old had thrown away while trying to escape.

The SIM card may have been removed in an attempt to make it more difficult to immediately locate or identify the device. However, this is an aspect that may be further investigated during the investigation.

The transceiver seized from the forty-seven-year-old

The Chilean citizen was found in possession of a dual-band portable transceiver , which was immediately seized by officers. According to police, the device was used to interfere with radio frequencies and prevent the proper functioning of vehicle central locking systems.

These devices can be used in thefts using the so-called "jammer" technique: the signal sent by the owner's electronic key is jammed, and the driver, believing they have properly locked the doors, drives away, effectively leaving the vehicle accessible. The actual use and technical characteristics of the seized device must be verified by specialists.

Initial attention paid to parked vehicles

The discovery of the transceiver is particularly significant given the initial behavior observed by officers on Via Torino. Before heading to the newsstand, the two men reportedly repeatedly checked vans, parked cars, and idling vehicles.

Investigators will then have to determine whether the couple was initially looking for a car from which to steal items, or whether the device was intended for use on other occasions. Currently, the arrest concerns the theft that occurred inside the newsstand.

The fight against thefts in the centre of Milano

The intervention is part of the services organised by the Police Headquarters Milano To prevent and suppress predatory crimes in areas with a high concentration of residents, tourists, and businesses. The streets between Via Torino, Piazza Duomo, and Corso Vittorio Emanuele are crossed by thousands of people every day and are particularly vulnerable to pickpocketing, shoplifting, and theft of items left in vehicles.

Checks in plainclothes allow investigators to observe any suspicious behavior without being immediately recognized. In the case of the newsstand on Via Pecorari, remote monitoring would have allowed officers to witness the various stages of the operation and intervene immediately after the theft.