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Paris Police Bust Eiffel Tower Pickpocket Gang

Police in the French capital have arrested 10 people suspected of robbing foreign visitors at two of Paris’s top tourist destinations.
Pierre Longeray
Paris, FR
Image via bewilder2009/Flickr

Paris police officials have dismantled a ring of pickpockets who preyed on foreign tourists at the Eiffel Tower and the Château de Versailles, police said Thursday. The arrests come one week after staff at the Eiffel Tower went on strike to protest the daily "scourge" of pickpockets and to demand "long-term action" against thieves at Paris's top landmark.

According to the police statement, officers arrested 10 people, ages 17 to 47, in two hotels on the outskirts of Paris. Police officers searching the hotel rooms found 3,000 euros ($3,300) in cash, as well as a stash of luxury clothing and accessories. Seven of the 10 suspects were brought before the Paris prosecutor on Thursday. In its statement, the police advised members of the public to be suspicious of strangers and not to keep wallets in their back pockets.

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During their search, officers also found audio-guides and tickets to the Eiffel Tower and the Château de Versailles — two of France's most popular tourist sites, after the Louvre museum and Disneyland. According to the national statistics office INSEE, 7.5 million people visited the Eiffel Tower in 2013, while Versailles received 6.7 million visitors.

The thieves — who operated as part of a family-run ring — were each able to haul in up to 4,000 euros ($4,400) per day at the height of the tourist season. Gang members enjoyed a life of relative luxury, traveling to and from Paris' top tourist sites in taxis, and posing with bundles of cash from the resale of luxury goods on social media. Last year alone, the group ran up a hotel bill for 130,000 euros ($142,000).

Pickpockets pose with cash on social media (image via BFMTV)

The pickpockets — Romanian nationals who belong to the "Gypsy community," according to French daily Le Figaro — used a number of techniques to steal from unsuspecting tourists, including disguising themselves as tourists, complete with audio-guides, fanny-packs, baseball caps, and socks in sandals.

Related: Thieves Snatch $20 Million Worth of Cartier Jewelry and Watches in Cannes Heist

The pickpockets mainly targeted Asian tourists, according to the French daily 20 Minutes, with a particular preference for Chinese visitors. A recent Financial Times article explained that Chinese tourists often carry large quantities of cash when traveling because of prohibitive ATM fees. Chinese tourists are also famous for buying large quantities of luxury goods, which are cheaper in France, to give as gifts. One Paris tour operator told the Financial Times that Chinese tourists sometimes spend between 6,000 ($6,600) and 9,000 ($9,900) euros on luxury items.

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The thieves worked in groups of three or four, a police source told Le Figaro, with one gang member tasked with distracting tourists — pretending to take a selfie or asking for information — while another emptied their pockets and bags. A third person would then run off with the loot. Police say the money from the resale of the luxury goods was sent to Romania using money transfer companies, where it was reinvested in real estate.

According to reports, the gang also operated in various European capitals, including London, and the investigation leading to the suspects' arrest was a collaborative effort between Romanian and French authorities.

When contacted by VICE News on Friday, the company that manages the Eiffel Tower tourist site (Société d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel — SETE) declined to comment on the arrests. The SETE has not spoken publicly on the subject of pickpockets since last week's strike.

On Thursday, Paris police chief Bernard Boucault announced that 26,000 police and law enforcement officers would be deployed this summer to the capital's tourist sites. A "Guide to Staying Safe in Paris" will also be distributed through the city's embassies and hotels, warning tourists — among other things — to avoid "certain Parisian cabarets, particularly in the Pigalle district … where an unwanted female presence will be imposed on you together with an obligation to buy drinks at extortionate prices."

Related: How a French Robber Almost Got Away With the Perfect Heist

Follow Pierre Longeray on Twitter @PLongeray

Image via bewilder2009/Flickr