The Copper Thief: The Robbery of Ingurtosu Mine, Italy

Ingurtosu is a ghost town of Arbus, Italy, that once hosted one of Sardinia's most important mining complexes. The name Ingurtosu, derived from 'su gurturgiu', refers to a bird of prey that once populated the skies of this area. The mine, which started its operations in 1855, reached its peak in the early 20th century, producing copious amounts of copper, zinc, and lead. However, its history is not devoid of drama. On February 9, 1948, the Palazzo della Direzione of the Ingurtosu mine became the stage for one of the most infamous robberies in Italian history.

Some sources suggest that a small mining village, including the church, the post, the store, the cemetery, and even an hospital, were part of Ingurtosu. However, it seems that the imposing ruins of Brassey Laveria, built in Naracauli in 1900, are not part of the Ingurtosu mining village. This information is related to the location of Naracauli. Nine armed bandits, wearing masks and armed with guns, rifles, and hand grenades, carried out the heist, stealing 19 million Italian lire, roughly equivalent to about 1 million euros today.

Two people, Carabiniere Giulio Speranza and Vincenzo Caddeo, lost their lives during the robbery. Speranza, posthumously awarded a Silver Medal for Military Valor, was born on October 15, 1925, in Sois, Belluno, and served in the Carabinieri Reali in 1946. He was assigned to the Ingurtosu station in 1948, serving for 26 days until his tragic death during the robbery investigation. Today, the Pozzo del Gal, a mine shaft, has been turned into a museum about the life of the miners.

Sources: Wikipedia, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons