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Jeweller kills thief in ‘self-defence’ shooting

A Paris jeweller has been charged with manslaughter after shooting dead a man who attempted to steal from his city centre shop last week.

Jeweller kills thief in 'self-defence' shooting
Messages of support for the jeweller posted on the shutters of his shop (Photo: Christophe Bauer)

The jeweller, named Alain, 60, shot the man last week after he entered the shop, in the seventh arrondissement of Paris, with a pistol in his hand.

It was the third time Alain’s shop had been burgled, with the thieves shooting at him on both previous occasions.

An autopsy revealed the man had been shot twice, in the shoulder and the hip.

The jeweller, who had a licence for the gun he kept in his safe at the shop, has been released on bail and banned from keeping a firearm.

Alain’s lawyer, Laurent-Franck Liénard, told news agency AFP his client would be claiming he acted in self-defence.

“He regrets the death of the man, but is sure he didn’t have any other choice. It was either him or the thief.”

The thief, 52, was not known to the authorities for similar crimes before the incident, and had never spent time in prison, according to a source close to the investigation.

It was discovered after the incident that the thief’s gun was not loaded.

Visit the photographer Christoph Bauer on Twitter.

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PARIS

Fluffy nuisance: Outcry as Paris sends Invalides rabbits into exile

Efforts to relocate wild rabbits that are a common sight on the lawns of the historic Invalides memorial complex have provoked criticism from animal rights groups.

Fluffy nuisance: Outcry as Paris sends Invalides rabbits into exile

Tourists and Parisians have long been accustomed to the sight of wild rabbits frolicking around the lawns of Les Invalides, one of the French capital’s great landmarks.

But efforts are underway to relocate the fluffy animals, accused of damaging the gardens and drains around the giant edifice that houses Napoleon’s tomb, authorities said.

Police said that several dozen bunnies had been captured since late January and relocated to the private estate of Breau in the Seine-et-Marne region outside Paris, a move that has prompted an outcry from animal rights activists.

“Two operations have taken place since 25 January,” the police prefecture told AFP.

“Twenty-four healthy rabbits were captured on each occasion and released after vaccination” in Seine-et-Marne, the prefecture said.

Six more operations are scheduled to take place in the coming weeks.

Around 300 wild rabbits live around Les Invalides, according to estimates.

“The overpopulation on the site is leading to deteriorating living conditions and health risks,” the prefecture said.

Authorities estimate the cost of restoring the site, which has been damaged by the proliferation of underground galleries and the deterioration of gardens, pipes and flora, at €366,000.

Animal rights groups denounced the operation.

The Paris Animaux Zoopolis group said the rabbits were being subjected to “intense stress” or could be killed “under the guise of relocation”.

“A number of rabbits will die during capture and potentially during transport,” said the group, accusing authorities of being “opaque” about their methods.

The animal rights group also noted that Breau was home to the headquarters of the Seine-et-Marne hunting federation.

The police prefecture insisted that the animals would not be hunted.

In 2021, authorities classified the rabbits living in Paris as a nuisance but the order was reversed following an outcry from animal groups who have been pushing for a peaceful cohabitation with the animals.

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