Based on a true Story

Sunlight filled the sky and cast the shadows of leafless trees on the sidewalk as Yann climbed the steep hill to his provençal home. Looking forward to relaxing after his thirty minute walk, Yann pulled his keys from his pocket and found the electronic fob that opens his gate. This gate protects not only his home but the home of his neighbor and two apartment buildings. As he reached the gate he saw a young woman, about 19 years old, blocking the sensor of the gate to keep it open. Yann inquired "Qu'est que tu fait?" With no response he hastily continued to his house. 

As he turned the corner of the apartment building, his neighbors driveway came into full view. To his surprise, he saw his neighbor's black Maserati, with the engine on. Yann was stunned when he saw two young men inside the car, most likely 18-20 years old. As Yann reached for his phone, the young man in the passenger seat gave him a menacing look that made Yann freeze. The Maserati sped off to the gate and the third accomplice climbed into the Italian street-legal race car and was off. 

Yann told his neighbors immediately and the police came to the scene of the crime. When the police finally arrived Yann and his mother along with their neighbors reported the incident and told the police to inform them when the situation was resolved.

The situation was eventually resolved but not in a way that Yann or his neighbors would have liked. The voleurs or "thieves" fit the typical bill, Banlieusards from Marseille looking for a quick grab, but they were in for a surprise. 

After the car was reported stolen, the police quickly found the car and a high speed chase ensued. With the gendarmes and the municipale police somehow keeping up with the sports car (the police here drive peugeots and citroens, essentially a honda civic.) Instead of ditching the car they crashed it.

Ok I will stop trying to be a fiction author now and just finish the story.

This is the part I don't understand. I thought that when they crashed the car that everyone was caught, but apparently they still needed Yann, my host brother, to identify those involved. So the next day mon frere acueil went to Marseille to the police station to identify those involved. Instead of the typical mirror that only one side can see through the police here use peep holes. So he said he looked through the peep hole and identified all of the perps involved in the robbery. 

Now that the situation was done and justice had been served, our neighbors invited my host brother over for an aperitif along with his mother. He told me that the first people they called were their "friends" instead of the police. Now, this makes me and my host family even more suspicious of our neighbors occupation.

First of all, before the robbery he owned not only a Maserati but also a Ferrari, BMW, Audi, and a Jaguar. Now he still has the other cars just not the Maserati. Furthermore, you are gonna call your friends? Why? unless they have some cement shoes waiting for les voleurs I would call the police. Yann also told me that notre voisin told him that he would have security guards around the area for the next few days, only half joking.

 He is in the mafia.