Thieves Steal Nearly Half-Ton Of Snails Worth $100,000 From French Farm

Professional thieves raided L’Escargot des Grands farm in France’s Champagne region, stealing nearly half a ton of snails valued at $100,000. The overnight heist targeted Jean-Mathieu Dauvergne’s family farm, wiping out the entire annual production destined for Christmas menus at upscale restaurants. The organized criminals cut through fencing, used crowbars to force entry, and disabled light detectors before accessing cold storage facilities. “We’ve been robbed and our fresh and frozen snails stash has been robbed,” the farm announced on Facebook. Dauvergne told Le Parisien, “It’s incredible to have stolen such a quantity,” suggesting the farm’s growing reputation made it a target. Epernay police commander Remi Dubois noted the snails are nearly as valuable as champagne and described the perpetrators as “experienced and professional.” (Story URL)