Algerian Migrant Accused of Burglarising Evacuated Homes During France Wildfires

Photo: Salam2009, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 | Jihad Watch

A 28-year-old Algerian migrant, who was already under a deportation order, has been accused of breaking into homes in France's Gironde region that had been evacuated due to the devastating wildfires.

The large-scale forest fires in southwestern France displaced hundreds of thousands of residents and burned more than 104,000 acres of land, making them one of the country's most destructive wildfire disasters since the Second World War. As families fled for safety, several vacant homes reportedly became targets for burglary.

According to local reports, the suspect allegedly robbed at least five evacuated properties in the commune of Cestas. He was subject to an OQTF (Obligation de Quitter le Territoire Français), a legal order requiring him to leave French territory, following four previous criminal convictions.

Investigators said security camera footage placed the suspect near the targeted homes, while DNA evidence and mobile phone geolocation data further linked him to multiple burglary sites. Despite the evidence, the accused denied carrying out the thefts, claiming he was only acting as a lookout for an accomplice who has not yet been arrested.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)