Crime and security

French teenager suspected of plotting terrorist act at Paris Olympics

The 16-year-old had ‘pledged allegiance’ to Islamic State and has admitted his plans

MAP: where and why are there curfews in France? Who is affected?

A fifth commune in the south has banned young people from wandering the streets at night

How safe are purchases on French classified websites?

Leboncoin is France’s second most-visited website - but is also a hunting ground for scammers

Scammers fleece drivers who break down on French roads out of €3,000

These ‘breakdown pirates’ are becoming more common. Here is how to avoid falling victim

Briton found with £163,000 cash in van to appeal French jail sentence

The 76-year-old was preparing to take a ferry to the UK and claims he was unaware of the contents of the packages that sniffer dogs discovered

Death of Emile, 2: what is known about new bone found in Alps hamlet?

Additional searches have been carried out after Emile’s clothes and skull were found

Man suspected of killing family reported to be at French convent

Sightings of the suspect come in regularly with the latest being taken seriously and police running DNA tests

Emile, 2: skull shows animal bite marks, says French prosecutor

New questions have been raised on the bone analysis, discovery of the boy’s clothes and why the remains were only found now if the area had already been searched

Bones found of Emile, 2: What French police say and what happens now

Investigations are focusing on the weather and detailed analysis of the soil near where the bones were found

Marineland in south of France again criticised over new whale death

An animal welfare association has filed a legal complaint but the park denies it keeps orcas in poor conditions

Why police reconstruction in Alps village where boy, 2, went missing?

Investigators are focusing on witness statements, but the family’s lawyer has questioned why it is happening now

Bones of Emile, 2, found in area already searched near Alps hamlet

A hiker made the discovery and took the partial remains to a police station

Number plate fraud: thousands of drivers a year fall victim in France

Fraudsters use fake plates to rack up speeding and parking fines which are then sent to car’s real owner

PHOTOS: France’s 3 most wanted criminals still on the run

They are among 58 of Europe’s most dangerous fugitives

Parked cars, property form, burglaries: 5 French practical updates

Our pick of practical articles you may have missed

Driving, aid for bike purchase, crime: 5 French practical updates

Our round up of practical articles you may have missed

How to make a police complaint by video link from your home in France

Scheme allows most crimes to be reported online. It will roll out nationally this year

Are second homes in France more at risk of 'home-jacking'?

Home invasions are on the rise nationally

Burglaries in rural France: areas most at risk and tips to avoid

Break-ins increased by 3% nationally in 2023 - but the rate is up to 20% higher in certain countryside areas

SEE: 2023 police crime figures for France

Cases of homicide, sexual assault, burglary and vehicle theft increased while those of unarmed theft and unarmed violent crime dropped

French renovation firms invented ‘norms’ to con homeowners into work

Victims lost an average of €8,000 but some lost much more

Watchdog takes action over banned treatment of French mineral water

“Nobody, not even a multinational like Nestlé, is above the law,” it says

Rise in ‘home-jackings’ in France: culprits trick way into houses

A spate of high-profile cases has drawn attention to the phenomenon over the past year

Student receives €7,000 in train fines after identity theft in France

The 20-year-old said he has to prove he was not on the train in each of the 30 plus cases

Big rise in car thefts in France: these are the models most stolen

Some of the country’s best selling cars are among those most likely to be taken, with three regions particularly affected

How to avoid falling victim to ‘false bank advisor’ scams in France

These types of scams have ‘exploded’ in recent years, says a cybersecurity expert

Police search for man pushing over-60s into lake in France

Three people were pushed into 10C water by an unidentified attacker in separate incidents

Appeal for help to find missing boy, 9, in south-west France

Helicopters are searching for him. His school bag and phone has been found in a ditch

French marketing firm to pay out €324m over role in US opioid crisis

The settlement is the first for a marketing company linked to the crisis, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people

New national burglary figures: How does your area of France fare?

The newly-released data shows a rise in burglaries and most types of crime - although rates vary and are decreasing in some areas

Drivers who pushed over cyclists ‘for fun’ in France sentenced

The men drove up alongside cyclists and hit them in a bid to unbalance their bikes

Hunt for missing boy, 2, from French hamlet focuses on motorway toll

Investigators are cross-referencing 50,000 CCTV images with phone records in the latest on the case

Firewood scam: Three sentenced for €100,000 website fraud in France

The scammers stole €30,000 on a single website alone, and took advantage of a firewood shortage to trick customers with too-good-to-be-true offers

Boy, 2, missing in French hamlet: Where is inquiry six months on?

Investigations are continuing into the child’s sudden disappearance in the tiny mountain community

Warning over QR code scam with electric car charging in France

The warning comes as the number of electric vehicles on the roads continues to rise

Four sent to jail over ‘home-jacking’ in south-west France

The masked gang arrived at home of retired couple armed with a gun and demanded valuables. The wife and a house cleaner were tied up

How French tax officials are using AI to track fraud

The software is continually being fine tuned to enhance its ability to identify potential discrepancies

‘No scar’: surgeon in France accused of just pretending to operate

The doctor denies the claims and said the allegations had ‘ruined the end of his career’

Where are homes most at risk of burglary in France?

Plus: tips to help avoid being a victim over Christmas holiday period

41 arrests over tantric yoga group accused of sex abuse in France

More than 25 women were allegedly being kept against their will in ‘deplorable conditions’, by a self-styled ‘guru’

Alert over fake police officers after couple lose €3,000 in France

The criminals lured the couple from their home, saying their car window had been smashed

Man shot dead in bed from stray bullet fired at flat below in France

Police believe 55-year old has ‘nothing to do with’ any criminal activity and was hit by mistake

No penalty for driver caught at 275 km/h on French motorway

The court was forced to acquit the defendant based on a technicality

Senate debates compensation for gay people criminalised by France

A new proposal seeks to ‘repair society’s error’ and compensate those affected by at least €10,000 each plus extra for every day they spent in prison

Drugs, sex…and a dead cat? Plot thickens in French senator MP case

The senator has denied all charges after an MP claimed she began to feel unwell at his home after drinking a glass of Champagne

French residency card fraud under investigation

The criminal scheme allegedly relied on corrupt officials and digital documents to issue fake cartes de séjour for fees of up to €18,000

Former policeman accused of renting out 100 slum flats in Marseille

Tenants were mainly in vulnerable situations such as undocumented workers or asylum-seekers

Under what circumstances can French police ask to see my ID?

France has rules on who can check which documents, when, and why. We explain

How incorrect French customs checks led to €40bn loss for UK

Mafia gangs have managed to dodge billions in excise duty due to allegedly less-than-thorough checks at French customs

Thefts from private letterboxes multiply in France

Videos of this type of theft have become increasingly common on social media

How communities in rural France are using CCTV to tackle rising crime

Video surveillance cameras are being installed in more rural areas after increases in vandalism and violence

Why France’s justice minister is himself on trial

In an unprecedented scenario, the former high-profile lawyer faces charges into ‘illegal conflicts of interest’

Foreign couple caught spraying blue ‘Star of David’ on Paris wall

The French PM and several mayors have condemned blue Star graffiti appearing in the city as ‘anti-Semitic hatred’ that ‘cannot be tolerated, justified or excused’

Stars of David painted on walls of buildings in Paris and other towns

Investigations are ongoing. Mayors and Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne have uniformly denounced the acts as ‘anti-Semitic hatred’

14 years’ jail for man who escaped from French prison by helicopter

The gangster was said to have been inspired by prison-break films

What the new digital law will change for people in France

The new rules will ‘protect citizens, children, and businesses’, the digital minister has promised

Murder trial reopened in France 70 years after first conviction

The controversial case has been the subject of legal battles for decades

I was craftily robbed as arrived at supermarket in France, this is how

Retiree shares her experience as a warning to others

Support for woman prosecuted for walking topless in street in France

She said she was only doing what ‘half of men do’ and that she was overheating. A woman previously prosecuted for doing the same said the current law is unfair