Christmas Day robbery at Pope's retreat

A gang staged a Christmas Day robbery at a convent that the Pope uses as his summer retreat, assaulting the Mother Superior during their rampage.

Three men made off with €5,000 (£4,000) after the raid at Castel Gandolfo, 15 miles from Rome.

The gang broke through a window at 12.30am as the nuns of the Pius XII institute were at prayers as part of their Christmas vigil.

The raiders made for the Mother Superior’s office, and began to search it for cash.

Hearing noises, she went to investigate but was grabbed, threatened and pushed to the floor.

The men then made her lead them to her bedroom, and forced her to hand over a cashbox containing money for the convent’s bills.

More