{"id":23646,"date":"2022-07-25T16:20:02","date_gmt":"2022-07-25T14:20:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iconicriviera.com\/?p=23646"},"modified":"2022-07-25T16:20:02","modified_gmt":"2022-07-25T14:20:02","slug":"cambriolages-gazages-de-locations-de-villas-et-d%27h%c3%b4tels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iconicalps.com\/fr\/burglaries-gassings-of-villas-rentals-and-hotels\/","title":{"rendered":"Cambriolages et empoisonnements de villas, locations et h\u00f4tels"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whilst burglary of luxury apartments and villas in the region are nothing new, statistics of crime rates throughout the French Riviera provide unpleasant reading. According to the latest government statistics (from the d\u00e9partement des Alpes-Maritimes \/ French Riviera region), break-ins amount to almost half of reported crime, and within one year there has been an overall increase of 8% in robberies on the French Riviera. This includes a total of 48 armed robberies and a further 1,545 \u201cunarmed\u201d robberies, plus <\/em>all the unreported robberies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A security expert working in the south of France told the Daily Star<\/a>: “I would say around 90% of villa raids out here go unreported”, and the National Institute for Security and Justice estimated that 56% of break-ins go unreported. It’s the same situation with hotel room robberies. And when they are reported, they’re often swept under the rug, with hotel booking websites removing reviews that mention burglaries, and both the police and hotel or villa owners telling the victim that there’s nothing they can do.<\/p>\n\n\n

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There’s a reason houses have gates, shutters, and bars on the windows<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Les criminels s'introduisent g\u00e9n\u00e9ralement la nuit et use gas to sedate their victims before entering their villa<\/a> or hotel suite (if they can enter via a terrace or balcony). It is thought the use of chemical gas in these raids goes under-reported because it is not obvious they have been targeted in this way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While luxury villas are definite targets<\/a>, hotel rooms, AirBnb and apartment rentals, and even tourists in camper vans are being gassed and robbed<\/a>. Be aware that thieves have also been finding the car keys and using them to steal the rental car as well. Because the car was not “taken by force”, some renters have found themselves not covered by rental insurance and liable for the whole replacement value of the car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Organized criminals follow people who look wealthy (which is another reason not to rent a Porsche or wear a designer handbag, unless you’re staying in Monaco) and then use drones to case their villas. It’s often celebrities that get the news coverage<\/a>, but this is happening to both locals and vacationers at all income levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The police have indicated that break-ins have become a growing problem in the region, with perpetrators gassing their proposed victims before spending several hours stealing valuables — right down to removing the passed-out victim’s wedding rings and watch.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Here’s an interview with a French Riviera security expert, explaining how villa gassings happen, and what you can do about it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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