Four arrested after charity food thefts targeting Restos du Cœur and Secours populaire in Normandy

Sunday 16 August 2026 - 13:45

By: Sahili Aya

Four arrested after charity food thefts targeting Restos du Cœur and Secours populaire in Normandy

Four people have been arrested and convicted after two charitable organizations were targeted in a series of break-ins in Bernay, in France’s Eure department.

The incidents occurred during the night of August 7 to 8 and involved an attempted burglary at the Secours populaire premises followed by a successful break-in at a local Restos du Cœur facility. A significant portion of the food and hygiene products taken from the charities was subsequently recovered.

Charities targeted in Bernay

According to the Eure gendarmerie, the suspects first attempted to enter the premises of the Secours populaire before breaking into the Restos du Cœur facility by smashing a window.

The group then removed a substantial quantity of supplies intended for people facing hardship. Among the recovered items were chicken, surimi, terrines, sweets and hygiene products.

Investigators from the Bernay gendarmerie brigade examined surveillance footage from around the town as well as images connected to the suspects’ residence. The investigation enabled them to identify four individuals and reconstruct several trips between their home and the charity facilities.

Some of those journeys were reportedly made using a scooter.

Investigators recover most of the stolen goods

The suspects had apparently taken steps to make the investigation more difficult. Before the burglaries, they cut the power supply to a surveillance camera near their home, apparently believing this would prevent investigators from accessing potentially useful footage.

Their efforts did not prevent the gendarmerie from identifying them.

A search of their home led to the recovery of almost all the food stolen from the charities, as well as the scooter allegedly used during the offenses.

Some of the recovered products had to be discarded because of storage conditions. Items that had been frozen or refrigerated could not necessarily be redistributed safely, while non-perishable goods were returned to the organizations.

Suspects convicted after rapid proceedings

The four suspects, who were already known to the justice system, were arrested less than 24 hours after the incidents.

They were placed in police custody and subsequently admitted their involvement during questioning, according to the gendarmerie.

After appearing before prosecutors, the defendants were brought before the Évreux criminal court under an immediate trial procedure. The court imposed prison sentences and ordered the four to compensate the two charities for the losses and damage caused.

The case highlights the particular impact of theft from charitable organizations, whose food stocks and hygiene supplies are intended for people in vulnerable situations.