Six fake locksmiths tried for fraud in Bobigny

They presented themselves as professional locksmiths but their final bill turned out to be exorbitant: six alleged crooks have been on trial since Monday, January 17 by the Bobigny court for an activity which has generated 1.2 million euros in two years.

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Aged 25 to 54, the defendants are sent back to the criminal court for fraud in an organized gang.

They are accused of having, in 2019 and 2020, carried out non-existent, poorly done or overcharged repairs, mainly in Île-de-France and Gironde.

Instead of the announced starting price of 70 euros, the victims found themselves forced to pay between 2,500 and 10,000 euros to open or repair their door.

Sums paid to fictitious companies domiciled in Seine-Saint-Denis, before being disseminated.

Damage estimated at 100,000 euros

For the fifty victims identified by the investigators, especially elderly or vulnerable people, the damage is estimated at nearly 100,000 euros. At the heart of this case, two men already known to the police for acts of fraud, whose pseudonyms were "

" and "

".

The victims called a legitimate-looking locksmith number found on a flyer or an advertisement on the internet. But via a call forwarding assembly, the communication ended up on a mobile phone owned by “

”, a 33-year-old computer scientist. He then sent the order to intervene on a WhatsApp group of performers, managed according to the prosecution by "

", a 25-year-old "

" who has been multiplying the openings of empty companies for years.

In this oiled system, it was necessary to “

”. The alleged ringleaders put strong pressure on their “

” to extort as much money as possible from customers, even if it meant breaking down doors more to charge new services. “

“, storms “

” in a tapped telephone conversation, boasting himself of making “

”. If the victim was reluctant to pay, the “

” claimed that the insurance would reimburse the full sum, or were aggressive if necessary.

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"

", defends himself in a small voice at the bar "

", jeans and black parka.

A declaration which raises a bronca on the benches of the civil parties and obliges the president to intervene to restore silence.

The trial is due to last until Wednesday.

The defendants face up to ten years in prison and a fine of one million euros.