Riots: How police investigate, identify and corner petty criminals

William Moliné, edited by Alexandre Dalifard / Photo credit: VALERY HACHE / AFP 06h17, 04 July 2023

The number of urban violence, fires and arrests, which occurred after the death of the young Nahel, continues to decrease since the night of Thursday to Friday last. But if the events on the public road are declining, it is a titanic work that now awaits the police. According to information from Europe 1, more than 3,000 procedures are open throughout France. Investigators are on deck to identify and convict the rioters in court.

The advantage of social networks

"We are overwhelmed by seizures, it happens every hour," says an investigator. The files that accumulate are already well provided since the police officers of public highway have carried out the neighborhood investigation and the word of the residents on the scenes of fire has been collected. The technical and scientific police also took evidence, including DNA and fingerprints from the public buildings attacked. Finally, for the robbed shopping centers, the judicial police relies on video surveillance to trace back to the instigators. "It will take time, but we want to go all the way," continues this investigator.

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Another major asset, the rioters claimed and posted their exploits on social networks. The police scour Twitter and Snapchat for any uncovered face or a particular dress sign. They focus primarily on attempted murders, such as in Nîmes where a BAC policeman was hit by a 9mm bullet and saved with his bulletproof vest. Looted shops or burned police stations and town halls are also given priority, to the detriment of arsonists in garbage cans or private vehicles.