Homeless 47-Year-Old Arrested for Attempted Toddler Kidnap and Assault in Bergamo

A Romanian man was arrested yesterday on serious suspicion of attempted kidnapping of a toddler and aggravated assault. CCTV footage shows a mother struggling against a stranger who grabbed her daughter in a supermarket in Bergamo, Italy, on 14 February 2026. The security footage also shows the girl's father and bystanders stepping in to stop the perpetrator.​

The man could be seen grabbing the one-year-old child by the legs as the family was exiting the Esselunga supermarket in Bergamo, while he was making his way in. He then attempted to forcibly take the girl from her mother.

Fortunately, the child's father was nearby, and he and other bystanders were able to block and restrain the Romanian national until police arrived.

The toddler suffered a fractured femur and was taken to hospital, while the 47-year-old man was taken into custody, facing charges of aggravated kidnapping, as well as aggravated bodily harm.

Survival Instinct & Resistance Saved The Toddler

The toddler's father, Matteo, told Italian news, 'A survival instinct kicked in. To see your daughter in danger is dreadful. The reaction was immediate. You don't think, you just act.'

According to Matteo, his daughter had been in a trolley while they shopped, but then asked to walk. As he was handing her over to her mother, the horrific incident transpired.

'It all happened in a fraction of a second. It is not something that you expect, particularly because the supermarket was packed with people,' he said. 'I must thank all the supermarket staff who intervened and the police, who were quick to arrive. My daughter is OK and she is playing despite the plaster cast she has to wear.'

Senior police officer Marco Cadeddu said of the incident, 'We arrested the man, took him to the police station, and took care of the child, who was taken to hospital. It could have ended up being a lot worse,' per The Telegraph UK. Bergamo's mayor, Elena Carnevali, voiced her support for the toddler's parents, who had gone through a 'terrible experience.'​

Italian State Police said in a statement, 'The woman's resistance prevented the worst from happening until her father, the security guards, and the bystanders stopped the attacker until the police arrived,' as reported by NDTV World.

The Homeless Assailant

The 47-year-old assailant, whose identity has not been revealed by authorities, was found to be a Romanian national and is said to be homeless. He has no prior criminal record.​

The police said, 'Subsequent investigations, including the collection of witness statements and analysis of video surveillance footage, allowed the judicial authorities to charge him with attempted aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault.'

In a report by The Sun, the police have not identified the assailant's motive for grabbing the child forcefully. He has been taken into custody for questioning. The footage of the ordeal was released by the police and has since received a strong reaction on social media.​

On Tuesday, the homeless man spoke before investigating judge Michele Ravelli during a preliminary hearing.

As he barely spoke Italian, he was assisted by an interpreter. He told the judge he had been living in Bergamo for a little over two weeks. A hearing is set to be scheduled to determine his mental competence at the time of the incident, per a report by Il Giorno.