40 grenades, 180 detonators stolen from a French military base

Over 40 grenades, 180 detonators and an unknown quantity of plastic explosives have been stolen from a French military base, Military sources said.


The theft happened on Sunday night at the Miramas base west of Marseille .

It was discovered on Monday and the Marseille prosecutor's office has launched an investigation.

The thieves reportedly cut through a fence to access the base. As a result, the French Defence Ministry has ordered a review of security at military bases.

The 500-acre Miramas site stored munitions used by the French military in Afghanistan and Mali.

Agence France Presse is quoting the Mayor of Miramas, Frederic Vigouroux, as saying nine storehouses were targeted.

“It wasn’t cotton candy that was stolen,” he apparently said.

“These are dangerous munitions. Everything is inherently dangerous."

France is currently on the highest alert for terrorism after the Charlie Hebdo attacks in January and the beheading of a man near Lyon two weeks ago linked to Islamic State militants.