The method is nothing new and yet it continues to claim victims. An ill-intentioned group spots a single person, follows them in an isolated street, and “falls on them” to steal their phone, money… Many of them have experienced this scenario in recent months in Verrières-le-Buisson, wealthy town of North Essonne. Between October 2023 and February 2024, no less than 9 people, most of whom are teenagers, were victims of racketeering while returning home.
The victims - the youngest is a 13-year-old boy - recounted the same incident to the police. Several young people who surprise them, pull out a knife, threaten them, sometimes hit them, until they obtain the valuable objects they are carrying: cell phone, clothes, wallet, etc.
Black sequence
A black series that occurred in a restricted area which pushed the Massy-Palaiseau police station to join these multiple similar complaints. Several victims were able to identify their attackers, which made it possible to establish a list of suspects.
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On Tuesday March 26, the police arrested three teenagers, all aged 16, from the same district of Massy. A fourth went to the police station later in the week. Some have admitted part of the facts. Two of them were finally presented to a juvenile judge before being handed over to their legal representatives, the others received a criminal summons.
Earlier this year, another armed extortion case was reported in Essonne, this time around Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois. A duo of teenagers met with individuals to steal their phone which they had just put up for sale on the Leboncoin site.