Through Louis Gohin
Published on 5 Feb 21 at 12:17
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A network has just been dismantled at Chelles. It is not an international drug cartel, but a very Chellois group of young traffickers… of bicycles.
Their asset: they resold the stolen bikes on the Internet. Their weak point: their victims also have the Internet, just like the police.
The police arrested 4 people in Chelles on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 January.
Aziz and Merguez, bicycle traffickers in Chelles
The two main alleged thieves used the pseudonyms Aziz and Merguez 77 on an online resale site. Behind these crisp nicknames, hid two young people from Chelles and Brou-sur-Chantereine, aged 20 and 17.
It all starts on Thursday, January 28, 2021. Parents complain to the police: their son had his bike stolen at Gasnier Guy college. They do not yet know that their son has just been the victim of the Aziz and Merguez gang.
The parents tell the agents that they saw the same bike put up for sale on an online sales site.
30 bikes stolen
Fortunately for the victim, the police have more than one trick up their sleeve. The agents contact the seller of the site posing as a buyer.
Appointment is made on Saturday January 30 to execute the transaction. The fake buyers see two brothers, aged 13 and 17, coming to them.
Stopped on the spot, the teenagers explain that this bike is part of a set of 3 mountain bikes and bicross that they bought from a certain Aziz. The brothers had already sold 1 and still had the money with them, 210 €. They had 2 more left, not yet sold.
The agents are not long in finding the home of the famous Aziz, or rather his parents. At home, they find 13 other bikes, worth € 200 each on average. Aziz has already sold 17 bikes. He has € 710 on him.
The alleged thief’s father says he’s surprised
The father said he was surprised, explaining that his son told him to sell bicycles for his business.
But the investigation does not end there. Aziz is in contact with another klepto-pedaler calling himself Merguez 77. It is he who steals the bikes, as the police investigation will show. Aziz resells them, then pays two thirds to his sidekick.
The sleuths of the Chelles police station quickly find said accomplice. At their request, Aziz calls Merguez to offer to come to his house. Merguez fell into the trap and was arrested on Sunday January 31.
Summoned before the judge
Aziz pleads guilty, he will therefore appear before the judge in appearance on prior admission of guilt. Merguez is summoned to court for the theft of two bikes at the Gasnier Guy college.
The 13-year-old is indicted and summoned to court before a juvenile judge. His brother is summoned before the prosecutor for a reminder of the law.
The judges will determine the share of responsibility of each.
The police proudly announce that they have already been able to return 3 bikes to their owners. For information, people who have had their bikes stolen can file a complaint at the police station.
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