Resale platforms like Leboncoin are unfortunately the scene of scams from time to time, or the totally illegal resale of stolen items. It has already happened that customers have been robbed of large sums of money while trying to buy valuables such as cars for example.
However, the story that Capital.fr tells us is a little lighter – although it should make people think, we hope, tempted by petty crime. On November 27, 2022, a person was quietly going about his business when an individual entered his garage and stole his electric bike.
The thieves of this bike were misguided to resell it on Leboncoin
The victim discovers the room open without signs of break-in. His keys cannot be found: he therefore deduces that they have also been stolen. Inside the garage, his motorbike is still there, but his electric bike, on the other hand, has “flown away”. Very annoyed, the victim will therefore immediately file a complaint with the police station.
Then came the idea, obviously well inspired, to go for a ride on Leboncoin – just to see if his bike was not hiding in the middle of advertisements, just in case. And after a few minutes, bingo: he comes across an ad showing the exact photo of his bike.
The article is proposed 400 euros. He then contacts the seller pretending to be a traditional buyer and makes an appointment to collect the device. He feels that his interlocutor is suspicious. The latter offers him to conclude the exchange in an isolated place.
But you can imagine, the interested party did not plan to conclude the transaction as the seller had hoped. Indeed, in the meantime, he recontacts the local police station, which sends the Mirail anti-crime brigade to the place agreed with the seller. When the victim arrives, he discovers that the seller is a minor aged only 15.
He doesn’t have his bike with him – just a precaution, he learns. It is in another place that his bike will be returned to him. But it did not escape you that the whole scene was closely followed. As soon as the bicycle was seen, the Anti-Crime Squad immediately intervened to arrest the alleged perpetrator.
An interrogation revealed, among other things, that the young offender had a 16-year-old accomplice, who has also since been arrested. The two acolytes are now in custody awaiting trial. As for the victim, he fortunately did not have to pay the slightest euro to find his electric bike…
