Four of the suspects were held in pre-trial detention from Wednesday and the fifth is being monitored by police, the prosecutors in Nanterre, northwest of the French capital, told AFP.

In a rare method for break-ins, the robberies were carried out by injecting a corrosive liquid to destroy the locks of apartment doors, prosecutors and a police source said.

An investigation was launched last year after a July 2022 surge in burglaries using the technique in the Ile-de-France region surrounding Paris.

They began in the early days of France’s summer holidays before tailing off in mid-September.

Europol data showed up similar cases in Austria in November 2022, followed by Belgium, Portugal and Germany.

Acid-enabled burglaries were again identified in France from early August, prompting a new organised crime investigation for theft and dealing in stolen goods.

Police were able to arrest six Georgian suspects at their safe houses and in a vehicle believed to have been used in the crimes, after setting up surveillance around the town of Saint-Cloud west of Paris following four break-ins.

Jewels, special chemical-resistant gloves, high-capacity syringes and gas masks were found in one search, the police source said.

They added that the suspects formed “established, professional teams” for their raids.