In Finistère, residents and authorities have discovered a new scam that is raising fears of burglaries. Since the beginning of the year, blank A4 sheets of paper have been found in the mailboxes of several residents. As reported by Ouest France, these sheets are not completely hidden. inside the box, but they protrude slightly – which is not trivial.
The very clever burglars
Christophe Croin, functional divisional commander of the Concarneau police station, nevertheless sounds the alarm about this unusual situation: “It's a method used by burglars to find out if there is a mail collection”. By inserting a sheet of paper into the box, the criminals can see if the home is occupied or not: a sheet of paper that remains in place for several days indicates an absence. They can therefore burglarize homes more calmly.
The official therefore calls for vigilance from all residents, whether in his commune or in the rest of France: “I call on the residents of Concarneau to check their mailboxes and especially those of their neighbors if they have been away”. He also invites residents to report to the police station any place where this phenomenon is observed so that the instigators can be traced.
This ploy is unfortunately not isolated and attempts at detection (or fraud) are increasing in various forms in many French communes. In addition to the blank sheet technique, law enforcement regularly warns against other methods used by burglars and scammers. These include the so-called "garbage bag" scam, which involves placing or moving garbage bags in front of a house to check if anyone is bringing them in or taking them out. If nothing moves, it could mean the home is empty.
Monitoring Residences
Other methods devised by criminals include placing small objects or twigs in front of doors, manipulating the doorbell. at different times of the day or even discreetly marking the gate or mailbox or on the trash can with chalk signs. Added to this are attempts at intrusion under the pretext of false interventions such as fake EDF agents, fake police officers or even fake delivery people.
Faced with the resurgence of these practices, the police constantly emphasize the importance of collective vigilance and solidarity between neighbors, especially during absences, even short ones. To strengthen security, it is possible to sign up for the "Operation Tranquility Vacation" (OTV), a free program offered by the police and the gendarmerie. As Ouest France points out, "It works even outside of school holidays, so don't hesitate to use it." You can also rely on a remote surveillance provider like Verisure or Sector Alarm.
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