Vinted said it removed listings of goods believed to have been looted from French shops during riots over the weekend, as the secondhand reselling platform moved to prevent stolen merchandise from reaching buyers.
The company told the BBC that its teams "taken immediate action to identify and remove listings linked to the looting" since the weekend's violence. Vinted said it stepped up monitoring of suspicious listings and was working with French authorities and police. The platform stated it has "zero tolerance" for the sale of stolen goods and can permanently ban accounts that breach its rules.
Widespread looting hit Paris, Marseille and Lille over the weekend after protests against the cost of living and public spending escalated into riots. More than 2,000 businesses were directly impacted, according to Alain Di Crescenzo, head of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry. He told France's broadcaster RTL that the riots caused hundreds of millions of euros in damage. Police arrested at least 1,200 people.
Groups of rioters, some masked, set fires to cars and buildings while looting shops. High-end retailers bore the brunt of the damage. Luxury shops at Paris's Place Vendome were shuttered and surrounded by security guards. Shopfronts of stores including Dior, Rolex, Louis Vuitton and Ralph Lauren sustained damage. Olympique de Marseille's official store on the city's main avenue was looted and subsequently closed. Lille's club shop also closed until further notice.
Those who stole goods appeared to move quickly to sell them online. eBay said it had not noted an increase in listings linked to the French looting but stated it works with law enforcement to investigate suspected stolen goods and removes listings when authorities confirm an item is stolen.