Violence and thefts at the Carrefour supermarket in Luino: the need for a solution
For years, the area around the Carrefour supermarket on XXV Aprile Street, in the center of Luino, has been the scene of unpleasant incidents. Sometimes, it’s minor thefts where young people try to steal low-value food or drinks. In other cases, like last weekend, the situation is much more serious, involving violence and attacks.
The stabbing of a 51-year-old man on Saturday night, fortunately without serious consequences (the man was discharged from the hospital in Luino and received a prognosis of eight days, while his partner received seven), is just the latest in a series of incidents. However, it has caused a great stir among the population, especially on social networks, with users loudly demanding action from politicians and increased police controls.
In different situations, even during the previous administration led by former mayor Andrea Pellicini, orders were issued from Palazzo Serbelloni prohibiting the consumption and sale of beverages in glass and cans from 7 pm to 7 am, as was also done during the 2021 European Football Championships, by the decision of the current mayor Enrico Bianchi.
However, the problem, in addition to the security issue, is also due to a context of social degradation that is rarely found in other areas of the lakeside city, due to numerous events that have also alarmed the prefect of Varese, Salvatore Pasquariello.
To counter this phenomenon, there have been discussions about the potential early closure of the supermarket, a decision that should come either from the store’s management or from a provision by authorities and institutions that perceive a danger to public order. As in this case.
In this sense, however, the municipal administration and Mayor Enrico Bianchi intend to formally request a meeting with the supermarket’s management this week to find a solution, highlighting the economic and organizational impossibility of having a permanent police presence.
From an initial analysis of what has happened so far, it seems that neither an early closure of the supermarket, which currently closes its shutters at 11 pm, nor the ban on the consumption and sale of alcohol can improve the situation. Just on Saturday afternoon, from 1 pm to 9 pm, there were four interventions by the carabinieri of the Luino Station, for delicate and unpleasant incidents that occurred inside and outside the store, involving individuals who were already known to the police.
While waiting for an intervention, which is desirable, the population and the supermarket’s customers express their indignation and anger, especially when thinking about the families who go shopping, with children who in many cases have been forced to witness extremely unpleasant behavior.
A possible solution, at least worth trying, could be to increase security personnel in the entire area affected by these incidents, but more will be known after the meeting between the administration and the supermarket’s management.
