When burglars use acid to break open door locks

The burglary dates from barely 8 days in an apartment in the Paris region. “The lock has been completely dissolved”, explains the locksmith who took care of the door. It was however armored, but that did not stop the criminals. The doormat still bears the traces of the acid burn, used to force entry into the apartment.

A retiree returned from vacation and found her apartment open. Jewelry and money were stolen. Indeed, since the beginning of the summer, acid has been the new modus operandi for burglars. Fifty facts have been reported, just in the west of Île-de-France. Each time, the lock is gnawed from the inside, as if suddenly rusted, and becomes crumbly. According to a locksmith, from the moment the acid comes into contact with the lock, the door can be opened in less than ten seconds.