It didn’t take three wise men to discover this migrant’s hiding place after he tried to pretend he was part of a Nativity scene. The Ghanaian fugitive decided the best way to avoid authorities in Italy was to hide in plain sight in the middle of a festive grotto in the central square of the town of Galatone, in Lecce.
The 38-year-old posed up a storm in the scene by holding his hands out to appear like the other statues on display, which included a life-sized Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus. But whether it was the man’s modern attire or simply the fact that he looked too life-like, the migrant was swiftly detained by authorities last week. In a hilarious photograph shared on social media the man can be seen to the left of the Nativity wearing a green coat and dark blue trousers during his attempt to look like part of the religious diorama. Galatone mayor Flavio Filoni shared the discovery on the man on his own Facebook page. He wrote: « While standing in front of the Nativity carefully made by our Pro Loco, I noticed a presence I had initially mistaken for part of the scene. 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 barking and wanted.
« 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. »
The mayor thanked all « the women and men who guard our territory with competence, attention and dedication », adding: « A big thank you to the Nardó police station, to Dr. Tornese and his men who, together with the men of the Local Police, solved the case.
« Galatone is a community that observes, collaborates and cares: this is how you build security, together. »
Nativity grottos are popular throughout Italy and are often displayed in village, town and city squares and crafted by local artisans.
According to Italian media, the 38-year-old migrant from Ghana was on the run from a conviction for assault and resisting arrest.
He had been sentenced to nine months and 15 days in prison by a court in Bologna but then managed to evade the authorities and ended up in the small town of Galatone in the southern region of Puglia.
The migrant’s festive method of trying to avoid detection draws parallels to the plot of the famous Christmas film, Home Alone.
In the movie, eight-year-old Kevin, played by Macaulay Culkin, attempts to avoid crooks Harry and Marv by hiding in a Nativity scene when he is left at home alone after his family accidentally travel to Paris without him.
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