Investigation launched after multi-million-euro hafnium theft at Framatome plant in Isère
Police opened a preliminary inquiry after hundreds of kilograms of hafnium crystals were stolen from Framatome's Jarrie facility, with losses estimated in the millions and no arrests made yet.
A preliminary criminal investigation was opened after a large-scale theft at Framatome's plant in Jarrie, Isère, where hundreds of kilograms of hafnium crystals—critical for aerospace applications—were taken during the night of Wednesday to Thursday. Prosecutors in Grenoble confirmed the loss amounts to several million euros and reported that no suspects have been detained so far. The inquiry has been assigned to the research section of the Grenoble gendarmerie.
Authorities later discovered four vehicles, including a 4x4, that appear to have been used in the heist and were set on fire in the department. The Jarrie site, classified as a high-threshold Seveso facility, primarily manufactures zirconium for the nuclear industry and has been targeted before; a July incident involved over 150 kg of hafnium and cash, leading to a worker's arrest, and a deputy noted five similar thefts since 2019. The episode highlights ongoing security challenges at critical industrial installations.
Why it matters
Stealing strategic metals from a nuclear-related plant threatens supply chains and raises security concerns for critical infrastructure.
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