Nun stole gold, jewels and votive offerings to resell them. The soldiers of the company of Ariano Irpino (Avellino) carried out an order of subjection to house arrest issued by the investigating judge at the ordinary court of Tivoli against a nun belonging to the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, seriously suspected of the crime of theft (also multi-aggravated to have as object goods intended for public reverence and with violence on things) of ex-voto gold jewels and trinkets kept in the Episcopal Curia of Ariano Irpino, where she held the role of mother superior.
The order was issued following validation of the arrest order of a person suspected of a crime issued on 8 October 2024, by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Benevento, which coordinated the investigations, and carried out in the Lazio region. The investigations were started following the complaint filed by the Bishop of Ariano Irpino regarding the lack of votive gold found in some parishes of the Diocese of Ariano Irpino. The investigations carried out, which also consisted of personal searches and searches of the rooms used by the Curia of Ariano Irpino, as well as listening to witnesses, made it possible to ascertain how the nun, who had the keys to access the room where the votive gold was kept, had unduly taken possession of the gold and silver jewels belonging to several parishes of the diocese of Ariano Irpino-Lacedonia, including those of Santa Maria delle Fratte and Sant’Euplio di Castel Baronia, Santa Maria Assunta in Cielo of Ariano Irpino, San Sossio Baronia, Santa Maria della Neve in Morroni di Bonito, San Nicola Bishop of Savignano Irpino, San Giovanni Battista di Carife, Madonna del Carmine in Ariano Irpino and San Giovanni Battista in Ariano Irpino, as well as the relic of San Nicola di Bari, set in a metal locket.
The investigations also revealed that the nun had sold some goods stolen from businesses in the sector for a sum of no less than 80 thousand euros and with transfers of the money abroad. A large part of the votive gold was lost (effectively melted), recovered only in part, in the form of a gold ingot and seized by a merchant, i.e. votive offerings in silver and various jewels and bracelets, found both in the room occupied by the nun in Ariano Irpino both on herself and in the room (even in the dirty laundry basket) occupied in San Cesareo where the nun had been transferred. In light of the investigative activity, considering the danger of escape, given the nun’s behavior and the relations with foreign countries, the prosecutor’s office issued a detention decree, carried out in San Cesareo. The investigating judge at the Ordinary Court of Tivoli, at the time of the validation request, considered that the precautionary requirements of the risk of escape, evidentiary pollution and repetition of the crime were met and, also taking into account the confession made by the woman during the validation of the arrest, issued the house arrest order.
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