A religious from the Italian town of Ariano Irpino, in the Campania region, was arrested last weekend accused of stealing jewelry and gold items for a value of 80,000 euros.
His arrest took place after bishop’s complaint of this municipality due to the disappearance of jewelry offered by the faithful to several parishes in the region.
The house arrest was ordered after the investigation carried out by the Benevento public prosecutor’s office and then by the carabinieri, which established that the nun, belonging to the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, He had sold the stolen items and transferred the money abroad.
The nun was mother superior of the Episcopal Curia of Ariano Irpino, a place where jewelry, sacred objects and offerings of gold and silver jewelry offered by the faithful of the different parishes of the diocese were kept.
The nun, who confessed to the crime, not only stole votive gold coins from many parishes, but alson he took the relic of Saint Nicholas of Bari, set in a metal medallion.
The searches and interrogations carried out by the Carabinieri established that the nun was in possession of the keys to the Curia and that she had misappropriated the objects.
Afterwards, He sold them to companies in the sector for a sum of no less than 80,000 euros. and then he did money transfers abroad.
Unfortunately, the Most of the gold coins stolen by the nun are unrecoverable having undergone casting operations.
Only part of these pieces was recovered in the form of a melted gold ingot seized from a merchant and several silver ex-votos as well as jewelry and bracelets, some of them found in the room personal of the nun, who had hidden them. the laundry basket.
Taking into account the suspect’s risk of flight, due to his behavior and his relationships with foreigners, the judge issued an arrest warrant against the nun, who confessed to the crimes as soon as she was informed of her assignment to residence.
