driving
Three more speed cameras vandalised in Nouvelle-Aquitaine
The incidents come amid a wider wave of damage to speed cameras
Published
Three more speed cameras have been vandalised in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, with the devices found damaged and lying on the ground.
The cameras were found between Saint-Jean-de-Thurac and Laroque-Timbaut, near Agen, Lot-et-Garonne. Some had been recently installed, reports La Dépêche.
A week ago, the same cameras had been covered in graffiti, prompting the local gendarmerie to open an investigation.
So far, the motive for the destruction has not been established. However, the case is not isolated, as speed cameras have been targeted by vandals across France over the past two months.
A few days ago, a speed camera was vandalised in Les Premiers Sapins in Doubs, in Bourgogne-France-Compté.
It was located on the RN57 at the southern exit of Nods, and this was the second time the camera had been targeted. Last spring, it had been pushed into a ditch and remained out of service for three months.
After being put back into service, it was found covered in red paint and graffiti, making it unusable once again.
Neither the perpetrators nor the motive have been identified.
These incidents come after a separate protest by farmers in late September, when farmers’ union Coordination Rurale targeted speed cameras across France over the price of agricultural diesel.
Between 60 and 70 cameras were put out of service overnight on September 23-24 in departments including Morbihan, Vienne, Lozère, Aveyron and Haute-Garonne.
The actions were part of a protest against the price of non-road diesel, which had reached €1.93 per litre, with farmers calling for it to be lowered to €1.
In Vienne, a week before, seven cameras were covered with tarpaulins bearing the words “Tic tac”, referring to the ticking of a clock or time bomb. They were part of another farmer protest against inspections on their farms and growing administrative pressure.
The union also shared photos on social media showing banners displayed in Poitiers reading “Our farms are dying!” and “Stop the inspections!”
No link benwteen the recent acts of vandalism and these protests has been reported.
Vandalising a speed camera is punishable by law. Covering or painting over a speed camera can lead to a fine of up to €15,000.
The destruction of a speed camera, for example by setting it on fire, or its theft, is punishable by a fine of up to €75,000 and five years in prison. If the act is carried out by a group, the penalty can rise to a fine of €100,000 and seven years in prison.
