The police are investigating a break-in and intrusion at the Alpine base.

The police are investigating a break-in and intrusion at the Alpine base.

      French police are investigating a puzzling case involving a break-in at Alpine’s engine manufacturing facility in Viry-Châtillon. The most mysterious aspect is that nothing was stolen from the site.

      The break-in occurred on Monday at around 10 p.m. local time. French newspaper Le Parisien reports that two men smashed a window in the lobby and then went straight to the management offices on the upper floor.

      Doors to several offices were forced open, and apparently the intruders were familiar with the layout of the facility. In the preliminary investigation the police found no material damage and determined that nothing had been stolen.

      A Le Parisien source said: “Nothing was stolen, everything is fine. There were no employees on the premises at the time of the incident.”

      Forensic experts who arrived at the scene collected evidence and are now trying to determine what exactly the intruders were looking for. With theft ruled out, police are considering other possibilities, including industrial espionage.

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"There were no employees present on site at that time."

French authorities are probing a perplexing break-in at Alpine’s Viry-Chatillon facility, amid increasing suspicion that the incident may have been a case of industrial espionage. The unusual intrusion, first reported by Le Parisien, took place late on Monday night around 10 PM, when two unidentified individuals gained entry by breaking a window. 

As per police sources cited by French media, the intruders proceeded directly upstairs toward the management and executive offices, forcing open several internal doors before exiting the building only a few minutes later. Importantly, it appears that nothing was taken. 

"Nothing was stolen. Everything is fine. There were no employees present on site at that time," a source close to Alpine informed Le Parisien. The Evry public prosecutor confirmed that an investigation is currently in progress. Security footage and fingerprints are being examined, but no arrests have been made as of now. 

With theft ruled out, Le Parisien noted: "All other possibilities are being explored, including industrial espionage." L’Equipe pointed out the unusual timing and location: the historic Viry site is no longer involved in designing Alpine’s F1 power units, as the team will be using customer Mercedes engines starting in 2026. Many of the engine staff have already moved to other locations, including Ferrari. 

French media also noted that the intruders seemed to know precisely where they were headed, going directly to the senior offices before quickly exiting through a side door. Alpine has not made any public statements beyond confirming the occurrence of the incident. "There were no employees present on site at that time." French authorities are probing a perplexing break-in at Alpine’s Viry-Chatillon facility, amid increasing suspicion that the incident may have been a case of industrial espionage. The unusual intrusion, first reported by Le Parisien, took place late on Monday night around 10 PM, when two unidentified individuals gained entry by breaking a window. As per police sources cited by French media, the intruders proceeded directly upstairs toward the management and executive offices, forcing open several internal doors before exiting the building only a few minutes later. Importantly, it appears that nothing was taken. "Nothing was stolen. Everything is fine. There were no employees present on site at that time," a source close to Alpine informed Le Parisien. The Evry public prosecutor confirmed that an investigation is currently in progress. Security footage and fingerprints are being examined, but no arrests have been made as of now. With theft ruled out, Le Parisien noted: "All other possibilities are being explored, including industrial espionage." L’Equipe pointed out the unusual timing and location: the historic Viry site is no longer involved in designing Alpine’s F1 power units, as the team will be using customer Mercedes engines starting in 2026. Many of the engine staff have already moved to other locations, including Ferrari. French media also noted that the intruders seemed to know precisely where they were headed, going directly to the senior offices before quickly exiting through a side door. Alpine has not made any public statements beyond confirming the occurrence of the incident. Formula 1 | Dr. Helmut Marko from Red Bull has candidly acknowledged that Max Verstappen requires a significant setback to occur for Lando Norris if the championship battle is to be… Ferrari unveiled jumpsuits for Las Vegas. Ferrari unveiled jumpsuits for Las Vegas. Ferrari presented today the color scheme of the racing suits that Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will wear during the Las Vegas Grand Prix... Verstappen advised Red Bull to keep an eye on Bortoleto. Verstappen advised Red Bull to keep an eye on Bortoleto. Formula 1 | A Brazilian podcast has revealed one of the paddock's most surprising and authentic friendships - Max Verstappen and Gabriel Bortoleto. (…) Steiner is surprised that McLaren didn't stand up for Oscar. Steiner is surprised that McLaren didn't stand up for Oscar. Günther Steiner is surprised that McLaren did not appeal Oscar Piastri's 10-second penalty in São Paulo… Audi reveals concept for 2026, emphasizing driver camaraderie. Audi reveals concept for 2026, emphasizing driver camaraderie. Formula 1 | Audi has unveiled a striking R26 concept car that showcases the design of its upcoming 2026 Formula 1 entry, revealing the model at an event in (…) Drivers ranked by accident costs in 2025 Drivers ranked by accident costs in 2025 The season isn't over yet, but we can already draw some preliminary conclusions...

The police are investigating a break-in and intrusion at the Alpine base.

The French police are investigating a baffling case involving a break-in and intrusion at Alpine’s engine plant in Viry-Châtillon. The strangest thing about the case is that nothing was stolen from the site.