Some weeks later, the traffic cleared, and we veered off the autostrada onto an arrow-straight, deserted dual carriageway.

BBC: Cruising around northern Italy

The Italian media have described the heist as a paramilitary-style operation that brought something of the Wild West to the autostrada.

BBC: Italy robbers in motorway ambush on security vans

The Autostrada del Sole, the main north-south highway, has some dangerous bottlenecks.

ECONOMIST: Italy