Five members of an international scheme involved in manufacturing electronic devices for breaking into high-end vehicles have been arrested in France and Italy. The investigation began after a series of theft reports involving a specific car brand were filed with the French police. It soon emerged that the perpetrators had been using modified loudspeakers, ingeniously converted into tools for unauthorized access to automotive systems.
As the inquiry progressed, investigators discovered that the group produced equipment not only for one marque but for several luxury manufacturers. These devices were distributed across seventeen European countries and beyond. The criminal network was led by a French national who operated in tandem with an Italian accomplice renowned for his technical expertise. The latter oversaw the design and refinement of the devices, as well as the establishment of the production infrastructure.
According to the case materials, the prime suspect had organized the manufacturing process as early as 2022. For calibration, he relied on original keys obtained through unsuspecting intermediaries, whom he convinced to “decode” electronic chips. To ensure the devices functioned properly, the developer personally traveled across multiple countries, testing whether the systems could successfully unlock premium vehicles.
The finished tools were sold via encrypted messaging platforms. Their prices ranged from three to fifty thousand euros, and their clientele consisted of seasoned car thieves known to law enforcement agencies worldwide.
As a result of coordinated operations, five suspects were apprehended in France. Searches yielded six vehicles, luxury items, more than one hundred thousand euros in cash, and sets of car-hacking devices worth roughly one million euros. In Italy, investigators uncovered a fully equipped laboratory containing hardware for designing and assembling the tools, as well as a separate site where packaged batches were prepared for shipment to clients.
