Linky meters tampered with in Alès: investigations continue, police make new arrests

Les compteurs Linky étaient modifiés pour réduire la facture. Midi Libre – ANTONIA JIMENEZ

With two new arrests, the Linky scam is growing.

The affair of Linky meters tampered with to reduce electricity bills is experiencing new developments. After the arrest at the beginning of February of a first "technician" responsible for installing bypasses on the electricity meters individuals in the Alès sector, the police officers from the police station continued the investigations.

Two other suspects

The investigation carried out under the authority of the Alès public prosecutor's office made it possible to identify two other individuals suspected of making modifications to electrical appliances. The two parts of the case are not connected, the suspects not knowing each other and operating on their own.

This Tuesday, the 28-year-old man, considered to be the main suspect, was arrested and placed in police custody. Six individuals admitted to having used its services. The latter were the subject of criminal orders and will have to pay fines of between 500 and 3,000 euros.

The pirate installer would have partially admitted the facts and would have mentioned around thirty installations in the Alès sector. However, only six of them are held against him. What Quentin Larroque, deputy prosecutor, confirms: "The suspect is the subject of six complaints. During the investigations we discovered that he had comfortable savings in savings accounts. We seized more than 30,000 euros which he justifies by hidden work."

Referred to the courthouse this Wednesday, the man was placed under judicial supervision while awaiting his trial. The hearing is scheduled for next June. The accused will have to answer for acts of fraud, laundering of fraud and laundering of tax fraud.

His alleged accomplice, aged 29, was arrested this Wednesday afternoon by police officers from the Alès police station. He would have performed the functions of a tout. Briefly placed in police custody, he was summoned for the same hearing in June.

The police are continuing their investigations.

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