Italian jewellery thieves dig kilometre-long tunnel

After taking a month to dig a one-kilometre tunnel to a jewellery store in Italy, four would-be thieves were nabbed at the last minute when two of them were seen climbing out of a manhole.

The men who tipped off police were also spotted carrying walkie-talkies in the picturesque town centre of Acireale in Sicily, police said.

Mountain rescue climbers called in by police on Tuesday found a narrow rocky tunnel with its own lighting system, as well as shovels and pickaxes.

Police said in a statement the diggers were "just a few metres" from their target.

Photos taken by the volunteer service climbers showed a long, winding tunnel with shaky-looking supports made from metal tubing and wooden planks.

Italian police earlier this month foiled a similar attempt at a famous jeweller's in Naples where thieves had dug a 30-metre tunnel.

The same store was hit successfully in January by robbers who entered the premises through the sewers.

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