A 43-year-old foreign national was arrested on Wednesday after taking the ceremonial mitre from the bust of San Gennaro inside Naples Cathedral, one of the most revered relics in southern Italy.
A custodian witnessed the theft and contacted emergency services, prompting a rapid response. The suspect was intercepted by an army patrol participating in the Strade Sicure security operation and subsequently taken into custody by carabinieri. The mitre was recovered at the scene.
The man faces charges of aggravated attempted theft. The relic belongs to the Treasury of San Gennaro, a collection of jewels and vestments considered among the most valuable in the Catholic world.