Bordeaux Police Arrest Two in Moroccan Theft Ring, Suspects Detained

The two latest suspects in a network of thieves operating in the Saint-Michel district of Bordeaux have been placed in pre-trial detention, reports Sud Ouest. The investigators from the MNA group of the property crimes unit of the Departmental Security Department managed to arrest them after they were identified by the police. One of them, aged 23, admitted to having participated in numerous thefts. The other was presumed to play the role of "recruiter".

Three brothers from Morocco run this network. The police from the Departmental Security Department investigation cell working on the MNA phenomenon had proceeded to arrest them in early December 2020. They were involved in the fencing of valuables (mobile phones, tablets, computers, bicycles, jewelry, etc.) Their illegal activity consisted of exploiting unaccompanied minors, mostly Moroccans, by pushing them to commit thefts of valuable items.

During the arrest of the two latest suspects in the network, the investigators found the loot in a garage rented by the three brothers in Mérignac. According to the investigators, the value of the stolen items is close to several tens of thousands of euros. In total, 300 objects were seized and placed under judicial seal. A hundred objects were returned to their owners.