Europe 1 12:02 p.m., February 29, 2024, modified at 12:05 p.m., February 29, 2024

A bag containing a computer and two USB keys where the security plans for the Paris Olympic Games were stored by the municipal police was stolen Monday evening from a Gare du Nord train.

On Wednesday, the alleged perpetrator was arrested and taken into police custody. 

Monday evening, on a Gare du Nord train, an engineer from Paris town hall had a bag containing a computer and two USB keys stolen.

Problem, on it were stored the security plans for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games by the municipal police. 

No picture of the facts

Around 6:30 p.m. that day, in fact, at Gare du Nord, the cybercrime representative for roads at Paris town hall took a seat on a commuter train bound for Creil.

He then placed his bag containing his work belongings in the rack above the seat.

While the train was delaying its departure, he was about to leave the carriage when he noticed his bag missing.

The latter contained a professional computer and two USB keys containing data on the management of road or river traffic, and on the management of information messages on city signs during the Paris Olympic Games.

He then filed a complaint at the Gare du Nord police station and the procedure was taken into account by the Pickpocketing Group of the Regional Transport Security for the continuation of the investigations: no image of the facts, or on the bag stolen, has not otherwise been discovered. 

Already known to law enforcement

A clothing description of the alleged perpetrator provided by a witness guided the investigators.

A traveler matching the description may have been isolated.

His behavior, different from that of all the other users, attracted the attention of the police: coming and going on different platforms, entering and exiting trains.

The latter was able to be identified thanks to consultation of the files, the individual having already been arrested for similar facts in 2023. His telephone line archived in the old procedure was in fact limited to the place and time of the facts.

On Wednesday, February 28, 2024, real-time geolocation was launched, and at 4:25 p.m., investigators from the Pickpocketing Group were able to arrest the suspect at Gare du Nord.

He was taken into custody at the Regional Transport Police.