At dawn today the Carabinieri of the Tropea station carried out a precautionary custody order against a man originally from Vibo Marina, already known to the police. The interested party is believed to be the alleged perpetrator of the fire that devastated the “Little Italy” restaurant in Tropea on January 15th.
The order, issued by the GIP of the Court of Vibo Valentia at the request of the Public Prosecutor's Office, led by the Prosecutor Camillo Falvois the result of a careful investigation conducted by the prosecutor in charge of the proceedings who coordinated the painstaking investigations carried out by the military immediately after the event.
From the viewing of numerous public and private video surveillance systems, the Carabinieri have collected sufficient sources of evidence to identify the alleged perpetrator of the fire, committed in collaboration with an accomplice who was being identified.
Specifically, the subject approached the restaurant gazebo on a scooter, sprinkling the floor with flammable liquid and then setting the fire which caused a fire of considerable harmful potential, with the explosion of a cylinder.
The motive for the intimidating act and the serious damage is probably attributable to alleged commercial rivalries: “Little Italy” was perceived as a direct competitor of the suspect's sister's restaurant, located nearby.
During the inspection, the bomb disposal squad found that the fire caused the explosion of the gas cylinder, causing the windows of the surrounding apartments to explode, sowing panic among the residents.
The man is currently under house arrest waiting to appear before the GIP to give the guarantee interrogation.