The devices installed by burglars allow them to capture the access codes of furniture repositories, boxes or warehouses which they then loot at night. The phenomenon affects the Paris region and the south-east of France.
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In the Paris region and in the south-east of France, furniture storage companies have been targeted in recent weeks by two teams of criminals. Police are keen to warn companies before the phenomenon escalates.
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The operating mode is unprecedented: the burglars first discreetly place a mini-camera at the level of the digicodes, at the entrance of these furniture storage companies. They then retrieve the images of customers typing the code and voila. “This then allows them to enter the premises of this furniture repository without having to break into, explains Commissioner William Hippert, who heads the Organized Crime Information, Intelligence and Analysis Service (Sirasco). Then, they enter the various boxes, this time by breaking and entering since there is no code at that time. “
“The use of mini-cameras, or devices to capture codes, already existed, for example for ticket or fuel vending machines, continues William Hippert. This is the first time that we have been shown the installation of this type of device on digicodes that allow access to business or private premises to circumvent this first layer of security. “
These highly mobile burglar teams are suspected of coming from Eastern Europe and of having stolen several tens of thousands of euros of hi-fi equipment. As the holidays approach, the police are advising companies to be extra vigilant and to keep physical surveillance in front of storage warehouses when possible.