String of tractor satnav thefts brought to an end by France and Lithuania

On 26 November, the French National Gendarmerie (Gendarmerie nationale) and the Lithuanian Police (Lietuvos Policija) supported by Europol, have dismantled an organised crime group involved in the theft of navigation systems from tractors. 

The investigation led to the identification of 47 criminal cases associated with the same organised crime group. It is estimated that the criminal network has caused damage worth more than €575 000. During the operation, four individuals were arrested in Panevėžys, Lithuania, where the network was based.

Operating in rural areas through France since 2018, the criminal syndicate is suspected of stealing GPS systems to then resell them mainly outside the EU. Depending on the type of system, each navigation system is worth between €10 000 and €20 000. 

Europol supported the exchange of operational information, provided analytical and coordination support. On the action day, Europol experts supported the operation by cross-checking real-time operational information against Europol’s databases.

Agro theft: immediate response to the growing trend

With 675 cases in 2018 – which represents more than €6.5 million losses in the agricultural sector – an increasing trend of GPS thefts in tractors has been seen in France. Europol provided information exchange and coordination to the French national task force against GPS theft in tractors, which was created in 2018. 

In September 2019, another investigation supported by Europol led to six arrests and the dismantling on another Lithuanian organised crime group believed to be responsible for €2.5 million in damage.