After escaping from prison in 2002, a former mobster was caught by the police 20 years later. Careless mistake ? Anonymous testimony? Nothing of that. The criminal was photographed without his knowledge by Google Maps, then found by the police who then launched an investigation.
It is not uncommon to find certain oddities on Google Maps. Unusual photos, islands off the map or even a huge black hole in the middle of the ocean … For years, the service has offered an abundance of curiosities that are often found in compilations and other forums of budding detectives. By dint of traveling the planet, the car photographer has had multiple opportunities to capture amazing shots.
To the point that one can wonder if it would be possible to track a person using the tool. The answer is yes. Forget all the crime scenes: the best investigator is Google. It is indeed thanks to Maps that the police managed to catch a fugitive who had left the trunk 20 years ago. And not just any fugitive: a former mobster on the run after escaping from prison.
20 years later, he gets caught up because of Google Maps
It was in 2002 that Stidda, nickname of member of the Sicilian mafia Gioacchino Gammino, escaped from Rebibbia prison in Rome. The following year, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder. However, Gammino cannot be found. A major problem that will last until 2019, when the police come across a photo in Google Maps that looks suspiciously like the fugitive.
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Two years of investigation later, Gaminno finally gets arrested in Galagar, a Spanish town near Madrid, at the age of 61. “The photogram allowed us to confirm the survey that we were developing in a traditional waySaid Nicola Altiero, deputy director of the Italian anti-mafia police unit. The criminal is currently imprisoned in Spain. He is expected to be transferred to Italy by the end of February.
Source: Reuters