By Alec Fernandes
Italian police apprehended a 38-year-old fugitive they found hiding in one town's nativity scene. The man, wanted for assaulting a police officer and evading a nine-month prison sentence in Bologna, apparently thought blending in with the holy family would help him stay under the radar.
Flavio Filoni, the mayor of Galatone in southern Italy, initially mistook the perfectly still man for a remarkably lifelike sculpture in the festive display, even praising its "loving craftsmanship." Upon closer inspection, however, he realized the "statue" was very much alive. Local and state police arrived swiftly and confirmed the interloper's identity, placing him into custody.
Mayor Filoni took to Facebook to share the quirky arrest and thank law enforcement. "Thanks to the prompt intervention of our local police, state police, and Carabinieri, it was possible to track down and identify a fugitive and wanted person," he said. The clever criminal's holiday performance is a reminder that sometimes the best hiding place is in plain sight, even posing as a Christmas decoration.