They set out to rob a bank, but ended up calling the police.
A gang of bank robbers were forced to call the Rome police to bail them out of a tunnel they dug themselves, but which collapsed during their ill-planned robbery.
Rescuers pulled an injured man out of the collapsed tunnel Thursday night and took him to hospital, while police arrested three of his accomplices in the robbery.
It is assumed that the call for help was sent by one of the robbers.
The gang members, two Romans and two Neapolitans, took advantage of the long weekend in the middle of Ferragosto, when most Italian companies were closed, to break into a bank and nearby businesses.
However, their plan backfired because they poorly dug the tunnel to the bank, which collapsed, forcing them to call the police for help.
“Help, please, come and free us”, was the call of a man to the rescue service after the collapse of the tunnel.
Members of the rescue service, including experts trained in earthquake rescue, had to open a second parallel tunnel to help.
Media reports that during the rescue operation, the trapped man was given fluids and oxygen that kept him alive.
