The Carabinieri of Bari have Two men identified and reported, aged 49 and 54, for aggravated theft of olives. The charges were filed after an operation initiated following a report to 112 by the owner of an agricultural property. Responding to the scene, an olive grove in the municipality of Modugno, in the Balsignano district, the Carabinieri identified the two men, originally from Bitonto and Bitritto respectively, who, using special tools, had approximately 53 quintals of olives have already been collected, loaded into two agricultural carts, with an estimated value of approximately 6 thousand euros.
In the event, the Carabinieri have the entire quantity of olives was seized and returned to the rightful owner, who, in the meantime, had filed a complaint for the theft he had suffered.
The operation, the military of the Arma informs, is part of the targeted territorial control services carried out by the Provincial Carabinieri Command of Bari, following the decisions taken by the Prefect of Bari at the Provincial Committee for Public Order and Safety, also aimed at preventing and repressing crimes in the agricultural sector, given the start of the olive oil campaign.
And the emergency of olive thefts has been addressed by Coldiretti Puglia which reports how “criminal gangs have struck again, raiding fruit and damaging trees, so much so that producers are forced to monitor the fields at night and escort the loads to the mills during the day”.
Coldiretti Puglia thanks law enforcement for their ongoing commitment and calls for increased controls to ensure greater safety for farmers. "Every year – explains the organization – the phenomenon is once again affecting the entire region, bringing dozens of agricultural businesses to their knees and fueling a parallel black market."
I criminal groups, the association underlines, they act extremely quicklyIn just 3-5 minutes, they manage to steal over 30 kilograms of olives per tree, using iron clubs to knock the fruit down. This method not only facilitates illegal harvesting but also causes serious damage to the trees, compromising future production. The gangs operate in a coordinated manner: some cut down branches, others drag nets under the olive trees to collect the stolen goods, which are then loaded onto vans headed for sorting points.
This year the the situation is even more critical: the 2025 olive harvest marks a 40% increase compared to 2024, making the thieves' loot richer and the economic damage even heavier. “In addition to the loss of the crop – Coldiretti underlines – Farmers face additional costs to recover abandoned olives and restore damaged trees.”
It's not just the fruits that are in the crosshairs: Agricultural vehicles, trucks and lorries used for transport are increasingly being targeted by criminalsAccording to data from the Agricultural Crime Observatory promoted by Coldiretti, the agri-food sector is among the most exposed to theft, extortion, counterfeiting, and false quality labels, with serious repercussions on the economy and consumer health.
