Bulgarian Roma Sentenced in France for Copper Theft

In the summer of 2010, French officials undertook large-scale deportations of Bulgarian and Romanian Roma, sparking major criticism at home and abroad. File photo

The French police in the city of Bordeaux have arrested four Bulgarian Roma for the theft of four tons of copper from a warehouse of the French State Railroad company SNCF.

The news was reported Wednesday by the Bulgarian news agency BTA, citing French media.

The defendants told the Bordeaux judge they did not attempt to steal anything, but were hired by two Moroccan nationals to transport some cargo in a truck. Police, however, countered they had followed the alleged perpetrators for two hours and did not see anyone getting in touch with them.

In addition to theft, two of the detainees are charged with using forged drivers licenses. The defendants have said they purchased the licenses in Bulgaria as "everyone in the country does."

From the two – one received an 8-month suspended sentence and the other – 6 months. The other two received 4 months of suspended sentences.

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