It was not a good couple of months for speed cameras in and around Luxembourg as some of them were tampered with or even blown up.
According to the prefecture of the French Moselle region, a police investigation has now paid off. A Sarrebourg police team arrested eight yellow vest protesters for burning and destroying speed cameras on the RN4, east of Nancy. Four speed cameras were vandalised in Héming, Ibigny, Brouxviller and Gondrexange between November 2018 and March 2019.
Four “yellow vests” claimed responsibility for the vandalism. They received a four-month suspended prison sentence in June. Police also seized their vehicles to compensate for the material damages, which are estimated to hit the €100,000 mark.
The Moselle prefecture did not specify the exact number of vandalised speed cameras in their department but they reminded the public that the speed cameras, however controversial, play a key role in the fight against reckless driving and hazardous speeding.
The prefecture added that the speed cameras were strategically located on dangerous roads where there has been an above-average number of serious accidents. The 24/7 watchful eye of the cameras deters road users from speeding excessively and consequently saves lives, the prefecture stressed. In this context, they also highlighted that one out of three deadly accidents are due to excessive speeding.
Replacing an average-speed camera is particularly expensive, costing between €120,000 and €200,000. Repair costs for a fixed radar range from €60,000 to €80,000 and for mobile radars up to €75,000.
The replacement of speedway radars is expensive: from 120,000 to 200,000 euros. A fixed and discriminating radar, from 60,000 to 80,000 euros and a construction radar, 75,000 euros.
Hampering with speed cameras is an offense that can lead to a criminal conviction.
Unknown suspect tried to hamper Luxembourg’s most effective speed camera
(France) Speed camera blown up
