Unusual photographs from Italy show the moment a wanted migrant criminal tried to escape capture by disguising himself as one of the Three Wise Men in a Christmas Nativity display, the New York Post reports.
The bizarre scene unfolded in the small town of Galatone, in southern Italy’s Puglia region. Mayor Flavio Filoni noticed the imposter while observing the outdoor holiday exhibit. At first, he thought the life-sized setup looked so realistic that he considered praising the organizers—until one of the “figures” suddenly shifted.
The suspect, a 38-year-old man from Ghana, was on the run after reportedly attacking a police officer and resisting arrest. He had previously been sentenced to nine and a half months in prison by a court in Bologna but reportedly fled before completing his sentence, traveling south to evade authorities.
In a desperate attempt to remain unnoticed, he joined the Nativity scene, standing still among the statues with his arms raised. However, his modern winter coat quickly gave away the disguise.
Mayor Filoni described the discovery in a Facebook statement: “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. A detail that seemed harmless, but turned out to be decisive.”
He commended the rapid response of the police, writing, “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].” The mayor added that the incident reaffirms the importance of placing “full confidence in the day-to-day work of those who guarantee safety and legality.”
The migrant was soon apprehended and taken to the nearby city of Lecce, where he will serve the remainder of his prison sentence.