Luxury hotspots in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez are facing a rise in violent robberies this summer, prompting a major security clampdown.
Around 30 officers from France’s elite CRS police force have been deployed in and around the Gulf of Saint-Tropez on the French Riviera after a string of armed thefts since the summer season began.
The Var department's police prefecture said Tuesday: “Since mid-June, three armed robberies have been carried out in the municipalities, targeting both homeowners and holiday renters. In each case, losses ran into several hundred thousand euros.”
Over the same period, there have been 23 luxury watch thefts – some during break-ins, others through street snatches – again involving valuables worth a small fortune.
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The local gendarmerie, which already has more than a hundred officers in the region plus around thirty seasonal reinforcements, will now receive an exceptional boost from the CRS.
“Normally, our two CRS units for the summer are based in Fréjus, Saint-Raphaël and Toulon,” Var Prefect Simon Babre said. “This year, we’re redeploying some of them to ensure a stronger presence in the Gulf.”
The operation will see stepped-up patrols and a higher profile in town centres, particularly in Saint-Tropez and Sainte-Maxime.
Escape routes – which are relatively few in the region – will also be closely monitored to allow police to act swiftly when needed, aided by surveillance cameras and local municipal police.
(with newswires)
