Carnival-time is approaching in Italy, but in a new twist to the custom of wearing disguises, a robber has held up a bank wearing a mask resembling Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, news reports said Wednesday, dpa reported.
The man, together with two accomplices, all armed with toy pistols, broke into a branch of the Unicredit bank in the north-western city of Turin.
Police intervened and arrested two of the robbers, including the false "Berlusconi" and another man who was wearing a mask resembling one of Berlusconi's close aides, Marcello Dell'Utri. The third suspect managed to escape.
The pair arrested turned out to be brothers, both with criminal records, the reports said.
For centuries in Roman Catholic countries carnival celebrations have involved people, traditionally wearing disguise, indulging in revelry in the two weeks ahead of Lent - the period of penance and fasting before Easter.