The Russian Consulate in Strasbourg.

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Wikicommons

  • The driver of a Russian diplomat in Strasbourg is suspected of receiving stolen bikes.

  • He was caught with his hand in the resale bag of stolen bicycles and taken into custody… before leaving France in a hurry.

  • Since January 2020, around 300 classified ads for quality bikes, often electric, have been placed on the Leboncoin site from the same account, the investigators then discovered.

    This would represent a value of around 100,000 euros.

It is a less well-known facet of Strasbourg.

The Alsatian capital is full of embassies and other permanent representations in view of its European status.

A case of bicycle theft leads to the… Russian consulate.

One of his employees was taken into custody on February 14 on suspicion of receiving stolen bikes, but returned to Russia before police could question him about hundreds of potential sales, it has been reported. corroborating sources.

The forty-year-old of Russian nationality, not enjoying diplomatic immunity, had been released until the preliminary investigation continued, said two sources familiar with the matter.

At the beginning of February, the former first deputy of Strasbourg Alain Fontanel, whose wife is French ambassador to the Council of Europe, had his electric bicycle stolen in broad daylight, strapped in the street.

Several days after the theft, "I see my bike, as well as two others of the same brand, on an advertisement on the Leboncoin site, on sale at roughly half the price," explained Alain Fontanel, who therefore filed a complaint.

The police then respond to the ad and get in touch with the seller.

An appointment is set at a side entrance of the Russian consulate.

The suspect leaves the consulate, and therefore the diplomatic area, to bring, with an invoice bearing the consulate's stamp which will prove to be false, Alain Fontanel's bicycle, identified by himself on the spot and by his serial number, and three other bikes whose owners have not yet been identified.

He was then arrested by the police and the bikes were seized.

300 advertisements, 100,000 euros in value

Since January 2020, around 300 classified ads for quality bikes, often electric, have been placed on the Leboncoin site from the same account, the investigators then discovered.

This would represent a value of around 100,000 euros.

However, when the police wanted to summon the suspect again for a second hearing, he was told that he had returned to Russia "due to health problems", and that his contract with the consulate had been suspended.

When contacted, the Russian consulate replied that it did not "comment on personal data".

A search warrant has been issued.

If the suspect is not found after some time, he could be tried by default.

Entrusted to departmental security, the investigation is still ongoing.

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