In a bizarre attempt to avoid arrest, a 38-year-old Ghanaian illegal migrant fugitive was busted in southern Italy after attempting to blend into a life-size Christmas Nativity scene by posing as one of the Three Wise Men.
The failed hideout took place in the small town of Galatone, located in the Puglia region of southern Italy, earlier this month.
The fugitive, whose identity has not been publicly released, was on the run after being convicted of assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest.
He had been sentenced to nine months and 15 days in prison by a court in Bologna, northern Italy, but managed to flee southward before serving his full term.
According to reports, the man jumped into the public Nativity display set up by the town’s tourism office in the town square. He stood motionless in the background, his arms raised aloft, trying to mimic the statues of biblical figures.
Galatone’s mayor, Flavio Filoni, inadvertently became the hero of the story, according to a report from the New York Post.
While admiring the festive scene, Filoni initially mistook the intruder for part of the display. But when he noticed subtle movement, he realized something was wrong.
“While standing in front of the Nativity carefully made by our tourism office, I noticed a presence I had initially mistaken for part of the scene,” Filoni wrote in a statement on Facebook.
“A detail that seemed harmless, but turned out to be decisive. Thanks to the quick intervention of our Local Police, State Police and Carabinieri, it was possible to track down and identify a person who was a wanted fugitive. A result that confirms, once again, how fundamental it is to place full confidence in the day-to-day work of those who guarantee safety and legality. A sincere thank you to all the women and men who guard our territory with competence, attention and dedication.”
Local authorities were alerted immediately, and the migrant was swiftly arrested by a joint team of Local Police, State Police, and Carabinieri officers.
He was remanded into custody at a prison in the nearby city of Lecce, where he will serve out the remainder of his sentence.
The post NOT THE ONION: Illegal Migrant Fugitive Busted Trying to Evade Capture by Hiding in Italian Nativity Scene Posed as One of the Three Wise Men appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.