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 several residents' mailboxes. As reported by Ouest France, these sheets are not completely slipped inside the box but they protrude slightly – which is not insignificant.
Very clever burglars
Christophe Croin, functional divisional commander of the Concarneau police station, is nevertheless sounding 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, criminals can see whether the home is occupied or not: a sheet of paper that remains in place for several days indicates an absence. They can therefore burglarize the home 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 perpetrators 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 white sheet technique, law enforcement regularly warns against other methods used by burglars or scammers. Among them is 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 that the home is empty.
Monitoring residences
Other methods devised by criminals include placing small objects or twigs in front of doors, ringing the doorbell at different times of the day, or discreetly marking the gate, mailbox, or trash can with chalk. Added to this are attempts at intrusion under the pretext of fake interventions, such as fake EDF agents, fake police officers, or even fake delivery drivers.
Faced with the increase in these practices, the police constantly stress the importance of collective vigilance and solidarity between neighbors, especially during absences, even short ones. To enhance security, you can sign up for the "Opération Tranquillité Vacances" (OTV) program, a free service offered by the police and 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.
0 Comments