Vendée man sentenced to 30 months in prison for vehicle thefts

A 20-year-old man from Saint-Jean-de-Monts has been sentenced to 30 months in prison following the theft of two vehicles in the Vendée region of France. The thefts occurred on August 9 and 12, 2026, in the Falleron sector. The first vehicle, a Dacia, was stolen after keys were taken from a home and was later found burned. The second vehicle, a Peugeot 5008, was also recovered in La Garnache.

The defendant, who has four prior convictions including two as a minor, claimed during his appearance at the Sables-d’Olonne judicial court that he was merely a passenger ‘to go for a ride’ and ‘kill time.’ However, investigators found his fingerprints on the vehicle. The prosecutor noted that previous penalties had failed to deter his behavior, as he faces additional cases scheduled for late 2026 and early 2027.