Nine people have been charged in France with stealing EUR 3.5 million worth of luxury handbags and leather goods. Seven of them were arrested. The suspicion is that they stole directly from the production sites of LVMH, Hermès and Chanel. They formed an “extremely professional team”, as the French police called it, and within ten minutes the gang would raid the brands’ warehouses, using vehicles that they would then destroy. The thefts the gang allegedly committed would be “at least 11”.
The gang that raided brand’s warehouses
The police arrested the suspects in Yvelines, Val-d’Oise and Loiret. Some of them, between 25 and 35 years old, are accused of physically carrying out the thefts. The others, aged between 45 and 55, would be the receivers. The investigation has been going on since August 2022. The workshops of LVMH, Hermès and Chanel are located in the Sarthe, Loir-et-Cher and Indre. The value of the stolen products amounts to more than EUR 3.5 million, as Le Figaro reports.
Rapid and organised raids
The French police also described the modus operandi of the gang. Targeted, very fast attacks that lasted about ten minutes. They took place at night. They would use professional tools to break through fence walls, gates and security barriers and then get into the vaults where the companies stored their finished products. During the various searches, the agents found stolen bags, 40,000 euros, nine vehicles, burglary equipment and GPS trackers.
Read also:
