Police helicopter brought in to tackle spate of burglaries in Dordogne, south-west France
Officers checked 170 vehicles during the three-hour operation
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Gendarmes in Dordogne have carried out an anti-crime operation using road checkpoints and helicopter surveillance to tackle a rise in burglaries.
The operation took place around Sarlat-la-Canéda on August 18. “All units of the Sarlat gendarmerie company were called upon, as well as a detachment of three reservists, bringing the total to 18 military personnel,” explained Captain Giacomoni, second in command of the Compagnie de Gendarmerie Départementale de Sarlat-la-Canéda (CGD).
The operation was organised in response to several days of burglaries involving the theft of power tools from businesses in the area.
According to the gendarmerie the thefts, likely the work of seasonal criminal gangs operating in the area, had caused “significant financial hardship for the victims.”
Mobile checkpoints on roads
The road checkpoints were set up at five different locations and moved every 45 minutes between 15:00 and 18:00, allowing officers to cover different routes.
During the operation, gendarmes checked vehicles that could potentially be linked to the burglaries, mainly vans and utility vehicles.
"We need to distinguish the holidaymakers, who are very numerous on the road, from potential suspects" while at the same time “have as little impact as possible on traffic," said senior officer Cédric Bailly, head of the Domme local brigade.
Helicopter support
An AS350 Écureuil helicopter also took off from Sarlat’s Meysset stadium at 15:00.
The helicopter was used to support the teams on the ground and remained in radio contact with the road checkpoints.
Warrant Officer Vincent Gilbert, commander of the Égletons air section, was piloting the aircraft, with a mechanic on board.
"Our primary mission is to support the officers on the ground, particularly in the event of a vehicle fleeing from one of the checkpoints," he said.
"Seeing the situation from the air allows us to provide our colleagues with information in real time, and therefore enables an immediate response."
The helicopter also has a deterrent effect. "The aircraft has a strong psychological impact on the public, and particularly on the adversary," Warrant Officer Gilbert said.
170 vehicles checked
A total of 170 vehicles were checked during the three-hour operation although no suspects were caught committing a burglary during the operation.
However, Captain Giacomoni said that a drop in burglaries and other property offences is generally seen in the hours and days following this type of operation.
The operation also gave officers information about the vehicles and people travelling through the area.
Burglaries can be difficult to investigate
The gendarmerie said burglary teams are often organised and mobile, travelling by road between different areas.
"Criminals carrying out burglaries most often act discreetly and with the greatest caution, leaving little physical evidence behind," Captain Giacomoni said.
Road checks and surveillance of traffic flows are therefore an important part of efforts to identify and disrupt mobile burglary teams.
