Fuel theft from Sens-de-Bretagne school buses caused asphalt damage, per reports

More than 800 litres of diesel fuel were stolen from school buses parked in Sens-de-Bretagne, Ille-et-Vilaine, disrupting local student transport and triggering a hydrocarbon spill that damaged municipal asphalt and threatened regional waterways, according to local reporting from Ouest-France and actu.fr.

The Fuel Heists and Transport Disruptions in Sens-de-Bretagne

The thefts targeted vehicles operated by the transport company Crespel and routinely parked on place de la Gare. The first incident occurred during the night between Wednesday, September 30, and Thursday, October 1, when three school buses were targeted. Thieves returned in the night between Saturday, October 3, and Sunday, October 4, vandalizing a replacement bus parked at the same location. Ouest-France reported that the perpetrators pierced the fuel tanks to siphon the contents, resulting in a total loss of over 800 litres of gazole.

The repeated thefts directly affected school operations on Monday morning, October 5. Numerous students waited in vain for their buses to take them to the collège in Saint-Aubin-d’Aubigné, as the transport company scrambled to adjust routes. Véronique Sentuc, the mayor of Sens-de-Bretagne, described the situation to actu.fr as senseless vandalism that penalizes the entire community.

C’est vraiment rageant car c’est de la bêtise humaine qui pénalise tout le monde.

Véronique Sentuc, Mayor of Sens-de-Bretagne (via actu.fr)

Asphalt Damage and Environmental Contamination Risks

Beyond the fuel loss, the method used by the thieves caused significant environmental and infrastructure damage. According to Ouest-France, the pierced tanks allowed fuel to spill directly onto the roadway near a water tower before flowing toward the municipal storm drain network. Municipal technicians responded urgently by spreading sand to absorb as much of the spilled diesel as possible.

Ortec Alzéo, a hazardous materials response firm based in Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier, was called to the scene on the afternoon of Monday, October 5, to pump remaining fuel and clean the pavement with high-pressure water. Frédéric Durand, the hazardous materials sector manager for Ortec Alzéo, inspected the drainage system alongside Mayor Véronique Sentuc and noted that the contamination fortunately did not travel past the second storm drain junction, preventing a wider ecological crisis in local ditches, streams, and rivers.

Par chance, ça n’a pas été plus loin que le second regard. Sinon, après, ça descend dans tout le bourg, ça part dans les fossés, les ruisseaux, les rivières et ça serait devenu ingérable.

Frédéric Durand, Ortec Alzéo (via Ouest-France)

Diesel Spills Force Expensive Asphalt Repaving

The financial impact on the municipality extends far beyond the stolen fuel itself. Ortec Alzéo outlined the specific expenses associated with industrial remediation, noting that specialized treatment centers charge 450 euros per ton for polluted sand and 250 euros per ton for liquid waste. The total pumping, transport, and recycling operation is estimated at approximately 1,500 euros.

However, the long-term infrastructure damage poses a much higher bill. Frédéric Durand explained that diesel fuel rapidly degrades bitumen, meaning the parking lot’s asphalt must be completely repaved. Mayor Véronique Sentuc warned actu.fr that fuel attacks the road surface severely, leaving the parking area severely compromised and multiplying the final reconstruction costs tenfold compared to the cleanup alone. The gendarmerie has opened an official investigation, recovered fingerprints at the scene, and urged area residents to remain vigilant amid a broader regional pattern of similar property crimes.