‘A detail that seemed harmless’: Mayor walks past Christmas Nativity scene, does double-take when he realizes what he’s looking at

A fugitive in southern Italy tried to hide from police by pretending to be a statue in a town’s outdoor Nativity scene. The 38-year-old man from Ghana was on the run from authorities after allegedly attacking a police officer and resisting arrest. He had been sentenced to nine and a half months in prison by a court in Bologna, but escaped and fled south to avoid jail time.

According to The NY Post, the man thought he found the perfect hiding spot in the town of Galatone, located in Puglia. He joined the life-size Nativity display and stood still with his arms raised, trying to look like one of the statues. He positioned himself in the background, attempting to blend in with the Wise Men figures around him.

His plan had obvious problems. He wore a modern winter coat that didn’t match the period robes of the actual statues. Anyone looking closely would notice the puffer jacket didn’t fit with a 2,000-year-old Biblical scene.

The mayor almost praised the tourism office for this “realistic” statue

At first, the disguise worked. Mayor Flavio Filoni walked past the display and stopped to admire it. He was so impressed by how realistic the new “statue” looked that he considered calling the local tourism office to praise their work. The figure seemed so lifelike that the mayor didn’t suspect anything was wrong.

But then the “statue” moved. That’s when Mayor Filoni realized he wasn’t looking at art but at a real person trying to hide. He immediately called the police to report what he saw. This holiday season has seen its share of unusual moments, including Trump’s awkward Santa tracker call that nearly ruined Christmas for one child.

Local police, State Police, and Carabinieri quickly arrived and arrested the man. His attempt to hide in plain sight lasted only a short time before authorities took him into custody. The fugitive is now being held in the nearby city of Lecce, where he must serve his original prison sentence.

Mayor Filoni thanked the officers who responded quickly to his call. He praised their work in keeping the town safe and said their quick action showed how important law enforcement is for public safety. The mayor confirmed that protecting citizens is always the top priority. Immigration enforcement has been particularly active this season, with ICE’s bizarre Santa-themed arrest video warning migrants about consequences.

The incident shows that even creative hiding attempts can fail when someone pays close attention. The fugitive’s choice to hide in a holiday display turned out to be a terrible plan that ended with his arrest.