Crimes Oyster thieves haunt French farmers: Solution can be found in surprise prize

Oysters are a fairly expensive seasonal delicacy in France. A high-quality restaurant serving of six oysters can cost 24 euros.

France is the largest producer of oysters in Europe. British The Times says that in 2019, 85,947 tonnes of French oysters were sold. The value of the sale was approximately EUR 398 million.

The oyster trade is so lucrative that it attracts obscure entrepreneurs.

In November three thousand kilos of oysters were stolen from a farmer on the island of Ile de Ré. Local media According to Voro, the value of Varo’s catch was about 20,000 euros.

There were more oyster thefts during the autumn. Farmers asked the police to take action, and the already expensive prices for Christmas and New Year’s seasonal delicacies were feared to rise further.

The mollusks of at least one oyster farmer have been left alone.

Christophe Guinot grows oysters near the Spanish border in Port Lecaute. When three thousand pounds of oysters were stolen from him in 2016, the farmer’s measure was met. The means have been so effective that no new thefts have occurred for more than five years.

For example, the news agency Reuters and the French speaking about the resort Huffington Post.

Guinot takes empty oyster shells. He puts a message inside an empty shell, glues the shell, and puts a message oyster among the live oysters going on sale.

Fortunately, you have gained as much oysters as your weight, the message reads.

The winner of the prize will have to tell you where they got the winning oyster. This would allow Guinot to track where his oysters are being sold, and at the same time the theft would be revealed.

The example of Guinot has also encouraged other oyster farmers to adopt the con. Guinot has heard that other farmers have been contacted by the award winners.

No winner has registered for Guinot yet. But there have been no thieves.