Unverified videos circulating on social media have drawn attention to the looting, with people seen displaying expensive watches and designer goods believed to have been taken from luxury outlets. Luxury goods worth an estimated 4.25 million Euros have reportedly been looted from high-end stores in France amid unrest, with suspected stolen merchandise, including designer bags, perfumes and cosmetics, reportedly being sold cheaply on the streets.
The incidents have raised concerns about the scale of the looting and the movement of stolen merchandise into informal markets. Looted Luxury Goods Sold Cheaply On Streets Luxury goods suspected of being stolen during the unrest have reportedly surfaced on the streets, where perfumes, designer handbags, cosmetics and other high-end products are being offered at prices far below their usual retail value. Several videos and social media posts have highlighted the alleged street sales, with claims that luxury merchandise taken from stores is being sold at steep discounts. However, the origins and authenticity of individual items featured in these posts have not been independently verified. A post shared by WorldInLast24Hrs (@worldinlast24hrs) Over the weekend, masked groups reportedly targeted high-end retail stores across several French cities, including Paris, Marseille and Bordeaux. Luxury brands such as Louis Vuitton, Hermès, Dior and Rolex were among those affected. Videos circulating online appeared to show people flaunting designer bags, watches and other expensive merchandise believed to have been looted from stores. Apart from luxury stores, many supermarkets, clothing retailers, and pharmacies were also targeted. Public property was destroyed, with unruly groups attacking historic municipal buildings, including town halls in Lyon, Marseille, and a landmark building in Limoges. Scores of vehicles were set ablaze, and government offices were vandalised. Suspected Stolen Goods Appear on Vinted The suspected looting has also extended to online resale platforms, with listings believed to contain stolen luxury goods reportedly appearing on Vinted, a popular second-hand marketplace. The brands mentioned included Louis Vuitton, Celine and Hermès. The protests were initially triggered by students raising concerns over French education, citing overcrowded classrooms, shortage of teachers and inadequate resources.
The reported losses include around 3 million euros from a Rolex store in Marseille and 1.25 million euros from a Louis Vuitton store in Bordeaux. As per some claims, some sellers are offering 90 per cent lower prices. More than 2,000 businesses were directly impacted by the weekend’s violence, according to the head of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CCI).
The platform saw an influx of listings suspected of containing looted merchandise following the weekend’s disorder, according to the BBC. Vinted said it had taken immediate action to identify and remove listings linked to the looting. It later snowballed into a broader movement reflecting public anger over living conditions and inflation, with looters targeting stores and leaving behind messages like “Tax the rich” on windows.
