Stolen submarine found in Besançon

A yellow submarine weighing four tonnes, stolen from Ferney-Voltaire in the Ain, was discovered in Besançon, in the Doubs, on Monday, October 26, 2026. The device had disappeared from its original location several hundred kilometers away between October 1 and October 21, 2026.

Submarine found via online ad

Investigators located the submarine through an advertisement published on the peer-to-peer sales website Leboncoin, titled "Yellow submarine." The submarine belonged to a dissolved diving club located near Lake Léman in Ferney-Voltaire.

Submarine used as decoration

No longer in working condition, it was used as decoration in front of the club's premises. Its market value, estimated by specialists to be several thousand euros, apparently was sufficient to trigger desires.

Owner spotted the ad

The owner himself found the trace of his submarine on Leboncoin, where the advertisement displayed a price of 100 euros, far from the actual value of the object. The property damage unit of the Besançon police station was seized with the case and identified the suspected author of the publication.

Submarine recovered in open field

The police discovered the submarine on an open field. A surveillance operation was set up to confirm its location before the operation ended with the arrest of two men, aged 27 and 47 years, on October 26.

Suspects face fines

According to L'Est Républicain, the two suspects did not provide precise explanations regarding the methods of the theft or the transportation of a four-ton mass during their questioning. The two suspects will soon be presented to the prosecutor's delegate in Besançon. They will be subject to a criminal order with a fine of 400 euros for one and 500 euros for the other. The submarine, now secured, must be returned to its owner.