They filmed themselves. And that was their mistake.
In the early hours of October 1, the statue of the Virgin Mary at the Stabiacciu roundabout in Porto-Vecchio, in southern Corsica, was found torn from its base and damaged. It had been installed in 2020 and was a much-loved local landmark. In the video the perpetrators themselves shared on social media, mocking remarks and crude comments can be heard, and obscene gestures can be seen directed at the statue as they shake it until it falls.
The video spread quickly, and the Gendarmerie moved just as fast. Two young men, aged between 21 and 24, according to the news outlet, were arrested about 200 meters from the scene, apparently under the influence of alcohol and hitchhiking. The prosecutor ordered that they be held in custody.
Mayor Jean-Christophe Angelini described the acts as “indescribable” and the videos as “disgusting”, noting that the perpetrators themselves had made them, and announced that the town council would file a complaint. The sculpture will be restored and reinstalled. Residents, meanwhile, have already gathered outside the prosecutor’s office.
They wanted to show off their feat on social media, but those very images ended up serving as evidence against them.