Two looters who stole 80,000 euros worth of good from homes in the quake-stricken town of Onna were nabbed by police on Wednesday.
The two unidentified looters were Italians, police sources said.
Earlier on Wednesday, Interior Minister Roberto Maroni said the government had brought in additional police to deal with looting, in a bid to reassure people who have been forced to abandon their homes.
''These people have already lost everything and we can't saddle them with the additional burden of worrying about someone breaking into their homes to take away what little is left there,'' said Maroni.
Premier Silvio Berlusconi said on Wednesday the government will introduce a new anti-looting law which will stiffen penalties for anyone caught stealing in quake-stricken areas.
Speaking to reporters in L'Aquila, the premier said Defence Minister Ignazio La Russa had agreed to send in troops to help police on anti-looting patrols.
