around Nantes, traders targeted by repeated burglaries

During this Christmas period, traders in Nantes and its surrounding areas are feeling down. While the month of December is particularly important for them, they have found themselves victims of serial burglaries in recent weeks. In the center of Saint-Herblain, on the outskirts of Nantes, around ten thefts have been recorded. “One-off events exist, but this repetition is quite unusual”notes the president of the Herblinoise association of village traders, Frédéric Vigneron, who has been there for four years.

On the night of Wednesday November 20 to Thursday November 21, Marie Judalet, manager of the Absolutif hair salon, a little further out, was the first to pay the price. She first believed it was an isolated act. The criminals dismantled the glass of the door to gain entry. “They attacked my computer. There were around twenty euros in a drawer that they didn’t take…”she says, doubtfully, wondering if the authors were not surprised by the sound of the dryer running at night. She also found her computer in the early morning, lying in the street. The businesswoman who filed a complaint was able to reopen immediately, and considers herself lucky. “I don’t really have anything to complain about. These are lower costs compared to my colleagues. One had her door completely broken down..

For small businesses like us, it can be dramatic

Frédéric Vigneron, president of the merchants’ association of the town of Saint-Herblain

His counterpart at the By Loonis salon was affected Thursday, December 5 in the early morning. 500 euros of cash and cash were stolen, which she will not find, but above all, a door amounting to 3,000 euros was broken down. For the manager, it’s the end of the year “not cool” which is coming. “We are afraid it will start again”. The same night, two other shops were visited, including a barber shop three times in six days. “We don’t feel safe. A burglary is psychologically traumatic. For small businesses like us, it can be dramatic. alert Frédéric Vigneron, the president of Bouge ton bourg. “Beyond the financial damage of the theft which is quite ridiculous, it’s the insurance excess to pay, it’s finding someone who will come and repair it, it’s stress… These are hassles which we would be fine”sums up this cheese maker. “These individuals feel sufficiently secure and not worried to allow themselves to break windows”he notes bitterly.

“The city is mobilized. Last weekend (from December 7, Editor’s note)we have shifted the municipal police teams from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., while waiting for the national police to be able to provide additional personnel”communicates Jocelyn Gendeck, deputy mayor of Saint-Herblain, in charge of tranquility. Responding to those who asked him for more video surveillance, he indicated that a camera was installed in the town but that, in any case, it would not slow down the hooded and very mobile criminals. “What will stop them is the police presence” : he particularly believes in flagrante delicto. The elected official is also in contact with the interdepartmental director of the Loire-Atlantique national police.

Flights to the island of Nantes

Law enforcement is observing an increase in relatively similar episodes in Nantes. “The fight against the increase in burglaries in commercial premises that we have been seeing in Nantes for several days is an absolute priority for the national police services”informs the department prefecture. Here again, the sums stolen are small and the material damage quite high. They are working on the hypothesis of a two-wheeled ram and are trying to determine if these events are committed by the same gang.

Especially since other stores, in the center and on the island of Nantes, were also targeted. President of the Prairie-au-Duc and Nefs merchants’ association, Jérôme Cuny has counted at least eight burglaries or attempts in his sector since 1^is December. “What we noticed is that we break the door and we go to the cash register. Often for ridiculous amounts”. So much so that the instructions were given to empty the cash and display them in the window in the evening. Some even warn on paper that there is nothing to steal. “Traders are having a hard time, already because of the work (resulting in the closure of the Anne de Bretagne bridge for cars, Editor’s note)and now they find themselves dealing with this in the middle of the holiday season.… Small consolation, they received moral support from the municipality.

According to a police source who spoke to West France around fifty incidents were recorded in the police zone. At the start of the week, it was the merchants of Bouguenais (commune southwest of Nantes managed by the gendarmes) who were targeted. According to figures communicated by the Loire-Atlantique prefecture concerning the number of burglaries in commercial premises, “the annual cumulative figure, in 2024 at the end of November, is 834 incidents, compared to 1,046 incidents in 2023, a drop of 20.3%” et “the cumulative figure for the month of November 2024 is 75 incidents, compared to 145 incidents in November 2023, a drop of 48.3%”. The December figures are not yet known but will certainly be scrutinized.