Girl, 9, Says Man Broke Her Wrists

Police said Sunday they were investigating a 9-year-old Gypsy girl’s claim that a passer-by broke her wrists to punish her because he thought she stole a wallet.

Police say the girl, identified in newspaper accounts as Saira S., was taken to a hospital by a woman who saw her crying.

The girl said a well-dressed man accused her of pickpocketing a wallet from a tourist near Piazza Barberini, a busy shopping area, on Saturday.

She said the man broke her wrists and hit her face against a car, saying “Now I’ll teach you not to steal.”