While petty thefts on public transport in Paris are not unusual, it is surprising to hear that a bag robbery could potentially disrupt a major international sporting event like the 2024 Paris Olympics. However, France is now facing this unexpected situation.
According to French news outlet BFMTV, a 56-year-old engineer working in the Paris City Hall reported to police that his bag was stolen while he was traveling by train on Monday evening. The engineer explained that he had placed his bag in a compartment above his seat, but when he got off the train due to a delay, he noticed that the bag was gone. The bag contained the engineer’s professional computer and two USB sticks that contained sensitive data, namely Paris City Hall’s security plans for the Olympics, including the deployment of 2,000 municipal police officers.
Regional transport police are now investigating the crime, using CCTV footage. Paris City Hall and police have not immediately responded to TIME’s request for comment.
The International Olympic Committee has expressed confidence in January how French authorities would keep the 2024 Olympics safe, with an “extensive security plan.” With fears about attacks on crowded areas during the upcoming summer games, especially after Paris was hit by a string of terrorist incidents that killed at least 130 people in 2015 and violent riots sparked by social and economic concerns in recent years, security protocols have been ramped up, including controversial plans for stringent checkpoints and the deployment of tens of thousands of security staff, both public and private.
In preparation, organizers including the French government, IOC, and partner companies allocated a budget of 320 million euros (about $350 million) for security. Some 45,000 security staff are set to be deployed on the first day, with 35,000 security staff deployed throughout Paris during the following days of the tournament, which runs until August 11.
Priyam Gera