Italian Jeweler Sentenced too Nearly 15 years for Shooting Robbers
Turin, Italy – An italian jeweler has been sentenced to 14 years and ten months in prison after shooting two robbers as they fled his shop in April 2021. The ruling, delivered by an appeal court in Turin, found the 71-year-old man was no longer acting in self-defense when he fired upon the fleeing perpetrators.
The incident occurred in Grinzane Cavour, a northern Italian village, when three men attacked the shop. after obtaining loot, the owner shot two of the robbers as they were escaping, also injuring a third.
The case sparked debate in Italy regarding vigilante justice versus self-defense. The jeweler maintained he acted to protect his wife and daughter, who were also present in the store, stating in court, “I was afraid.I shot to save my life – not to kill, just to avoid being killed.” He claimed the shots were fired as the robbers were entering their getaway vehicle.
This was not the first time the jeweler had been targeted. In 2015, his shop was robbed, resulting in a loss of €270,000 in jewelry and cash.
The initial sentence was 17 years in prison. The case is expected to be appealed to Italy’s highest court, the Court of Cassation in Rome.
