An elderly Chilean couple, aged 77 and 87, has been formally charged by Italian authorities after allegedly stealing a €1,000 ring from a jewelry store in Messina before boarding the cruise ship Celebrity Constellation bound for Naples.

According to police last Sunday the couple entered a local jewelry shop and asked to try on a high-value ring. Taking advantage of the distraction by the shop owner, they allegedly pocketed the item and quietly left the store.

It wasn’t until later that afternoon that the shopkeeper noticed the ring was missing, and alerted local law enforcement, triggering investigation. Officers from both the Messina police patrol units and the maritime border police collaborated to review surveillance footage and gather information about the suspects.

The investigation led police to identify the elderly pair as cruise passengers who had already embarked on the Celebrity Constellation, and sailing en route to Naples. Authorities issued an alert to the border police in Naples, who coordinated a response upon the ship’s arrival.

When the couple arrived in Naples, officers carried out a search and found the missing ring among their personal belongings. The couple was subsequently reported to the judicial authorities for theft.