A legendary Italian bandit known as the ‘King of the Kidnappers’ has been caught by the cops after spending 18 months on the run from a jail sentence.

Graziano Mesina, 80, the former head of a criminal gang in the 1960s and 1970s, was sentenced to 30 years in prison in 2018 and has been considered a fugitive from the police as of July 2020.

In 2004, Mesina, who was dubbed the ‘King of the Kidnappers’ by The New York Times in 1992, was pardoned by then Italian president Carlo Azeglio Ciampi, who believed he would “turn over a new leaf”. By that point, he had spent a total of 40 years of his life behind bars.

However, the pardon was overturned after he was arrested again in 2013 for running a drugs network on his home island of Sardinia.

After fleeing from his 24-year sentence last year, Mesina was caught in the small village of Desulo in the Sardinian province of Nuoro on Saturday, 18th December.

The famous Sardinian bandit, who has been the subject of books, songs, and at least one film, was found sleeping in bed while fully clothed.

The elderly fugitive was unarmed and did not resist arrest.

The police said they had been staking out the property for a few days after identifying it as the fugitive’s possible hideout.

As well as being dressed, Mesina also had a bag ready and around EUR 6,000 in cash under his pillow in preparation for making a prompt getaway.

A police spokesperson said: “When we arrested him, he rolled his eyes. It appeared like he was saying ‘it’s over’.

“He remained silent, he did not say a single word. He showed no reaction.”

The police added that they raided the property at night and arrested the owners, a couple aged 56 and 47, for aiding and abetting a fugitive.