One of Italy’s Most Renowned Mafiosos Got Arrested Because of Google Street View

A worldwide game of hide and seek that has finally come to an end

When we hear stories about criminals being run after by the police, we immediately start thinking of Hollywood-like chases from The Wire, Top Boy or even Scarface. That’s not always the case though. 

On the run for the past 20 years, mafia fugitive Gioacchino Gammino was spotted on a very random google street image which showed him talking in front of his fruits and vegetable shop in Galapagar, a small town near Madrid. The 60-year-old convicted murderer was on Italy’s most wanted list since 2002 after he managed to escape a high-security prison in Rome called the Rebibbia. 

Working and living under a perfectly stringed alias, Manuel had over the years begun a new life starting by re-marrying, opening two businesses close to the Spanish capital and had by now blended into his neighbourhood perfectly. He was eventually arrested on December 17, 2021, but his capture only went public on January 5. 

The crook however seemed to be very confused that he had been found as he reportedly claimed that he hadn’t “even phoned (his) family for the last 10 years.”

The Italian villain has since been sent back to his home country where he will continue to serve his initial life sentence behind bars. An unexpected ending for someone who really had managed to get himself off the radar.

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