Shocking CCTV footage has captured the moment an 18-month-old girl was allegedly snatched by a homeless man inside a supermarket in Italy, sparking a desperate struggle as her mother screamed for help. The incident unfolded at the Uscita supermarket in Bergamo as the family moved to exit through the automatic doors.
The video shows a man, described in reports as a Romanian national, lunging toward the toddler as he entered the shop. Seconds later, wearing a black hoodie and green pants, he takes hold of the child in front of her horrified parents. At one point, the toddler is pulled in opposite directions as both her mother and the man cling to her arms and legs, while the child’s father abandons the trolley he is pushing and rushes to intervene.
As the mother fought to keep hold of her daughter, the man continued to yank at the child, with reports saying the toddler’s femur was fractured during the scuffle. Bystanders quickly stepped in to help, and security guards soon joined the struggle, restraining the man until police arrived.
The suspect, described as a 47-year-old homeless man, was arrested and remanded in custody. He has been charged with aggravated kidnapping of a child under 14 and aggravated assault. The child was taken to hospital and treated for her fractured femur, and is now recovering at home with her parents.
The toddler’s father, identified as Matteo, described the split-second response. “A survival instinct kicked in,” he told Italian TV. “To see your daughter in danger is dreadful. The reaction was immediate. You don’t think, you just act.”
Police said the man’s motive for allegedly trying to grab the child was unclear, and he remains in custody awaiting questioning. The footage released by authorities has prompted an outpouring of appalled reactions online together with messages of support for the girl and her family.