French police cracked down on a watch and gold ring that successfully invaded Switzerland nearly a year ago. A total of 14 men were arrested.
The suspects were arrested during a large-scale raid in the Loire and Rhone departments of eastern France, led by an organized crime judicial body in Nancy. Two men were previously arrested in the Doubs department on the Swiss border who may be the mastermind behind the robberies.
The investigations focus on two robberies of watch companies in the Swiss Jura in November 2021 and early 2022.
family as hostages
During the November 2021 robbery in Bassecourt JU, the criminals stole 60 kilograms of gold and other precious metals in suitcases and two luxury watches. The perpetrators had taken the director of the watch company and his entire family hostage. Everyone was then driven to the company premises, where they had to remain in the car at gunpoint while the perpetrators entered.
The perpetrators left the family unharmed but in shock in a forest. Police and border officials set up roadblocks at all border crossings. The robbers, who fled in two vehicles, broke through one of the roadblocks in Lucelle JU and injured an officer. The two vehicles were later found burnt out in the Belfort (F) region of France, along with an MP5 submachine gun.
Police officer emptied magazine
In early January 2022, another robbery took place in Le Locle NE. An employee of a supply company, his wife and two employees were taken hostage here. But they managed to set off a silent alarm.
When the police arrived, the perpetrators fled across the border in a BMW belonging to a female driver who happened to be there. They left behind 200 kilos of gold. While escaping, they deliberately rammed into a police car, whereupon a French police officer fired his entire magazine at the getaway car with 30 bullets. Another police officer fired four bullets. The police managed to arrest two men. (female friend)