New blowtorch burglary method revealed by French police
The arrest of three suspects sheds more light on the novel technique
The burglars have been melting PVC windows using blowtorches
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French police have arrested three people as part of investigations into a new form of burglary in which the criminals melted windows by using blowtorches.
The suspects were arrested by Haut-Rhin gendarmerie on suspicion of committing some 30 burglaries in the area.
Their arrests, on January 10, helped shed new light on a new technique noticed by police, in which the burglars use tools including blowtorches to melt the PVC on windows - especially the locks - to gain access, reports local newspaper Dernières Nouvelles d'Alsace (DNA).
The suspects, a French 50-year-old mother, her 30-year-old daughter and 33-year-old Italian-Albanian son-in-law, have now been charged with organised theft and conspiracy, and have been imprisoned, reported the DNA.
Read more: Where are homes most at risk of burglary in France?
As part of their investigations, the Soultz-Guebwiller police force seized tools including a blowtorch, as well as 200 items believed to be stolen. These included luxury leather goods, jewellery and bicycles, which were found in the accused homes.
They are believed to have committed around 30 burglaries in the Soultzmatt valley, the Sundgau region, and along the Franco-Swiss border.
Anyone who believes they have been a victim of the burglaries is invited to contact the Soultz-Guebwiller police force on 03 89 74 97 36 to see if any of their stolen belongings can be recovered.
Read also: Burglaries: Watch out for this sheet of paper in letterbox trick on homes in France
The news comes days after police in Brittany warned residents of another type of new burglary technique, in which burglars check to see who might be away from home by placing a blank sheet of A4 paper in the letterbox, and seeing which residents do not remove it.
