Middle-aged men disguised in wigs to make themselves look like teenage troublemakers have been arrested and exposed as a gang of anti-vaccination graffiti artists who have been terrorising the Italian city of Turin.

Cops who had been on the hunt for the gang for months were surprised when they finally closed in after the suspects targeted a local middle school.

They soon discovered they had actually arrested six middle-aged men with clean records who had disguised themselves in wigs.

Police say the suspects were responsible for numerous graffiti attacks across Turin.

They allegedly targeted the walls of schools, hospitals, universities, newspapers, and trade unions in a campaign lasting months.

Many believed that the extremist ‘no vax’ network known as ‘V_V’ was made up of young people.

But there was surprise when it was revealed that older men, all with clean records, were responsible for at least 23 attacks.

Police are holding them but have not revealed their names.

Turin Police confirmed: “They are people with clean records, aged between 41 and 53. They were blocked after a gang action against the Alberti middle school.”

When arrested, the middle-aged men were found to be wearing wigs and dark suits, with stickers over their clothing labels.

They also had backpacks with radio transmitters, spray cans, fire extinguishers filled with paint, compressed air guns, and rope ladders with anchors.

Cops admitted that the six had put a lot of effort into trying to evade capture, but in the end, they were still arrested.

In a search of their homes, cops found more wigs, paint cans, and ladders, as well as T-shirts, flags, stickers, and flyers with ‘no vax’ symbols.

Mobile phones and computers were also seized and will be analysed to see if other people were involved.