There are moments when the stillness of an industrial site carries its own echoes—memories of machinery, of people, of rhythm and routine. In Loir‑et‑Cher, the former Brandt factory in Vendôme, once a place alive with production and livelihoods, has recently borne witness to another kind of disturbance: the silent footsteps of thieves in the early days of January, and the disappearance of large quantities of copper that once lay dormant like hidden tales waiting to be discovered.

This old factory, closed after the Brandt group was placed into liquidation late last year, became the target of an aggravated theft. According to law enforcement authorities, several coils of copper—collectively amounting to “a few dozen kilometers”—were taken from the site. Local officials described multiple large bins of copper removed under cover of darkness, and also noted that flat‑screen televisions and other items were disturbed within the facility during the break‑in. An official investigation into the aggravated theft is underway, led by the Vendôme police.

The factory had been largely quiet since its operations ceased and its workforce was laid off when the Brandt group entered judicial liquidation. At its peak, the Vendôme site employed about 95 people; then the broader Brandt story involved hundreds more in the region before that process unfolded.

For those who remember the hum of assembly lines and the presence of colleagues moving through their shifts, the burglary feels like another layer of loss—less visible but still telling. Local authorities have since increased security around the site in hopes of protecting it from further intrusions as offers to take over and revive portions of Brandt’s business continue to be examined by prospective buyers.

Investigators are looking for leads, examining how so much copper—an essential and valuable industrial material—could be spirited away. Copper thefts have become a concern in many parts of the world, as the metal’s market value rises and its resale potential draws opportunistic crimes; cables, coils, and other components are often targeted because they can be quickly moved and sold.

Yet for the people in Vendôme, the story is about more than stolen material. It is a reminder of the fragile chapter that this once‑bustling site now inhabits—caught between its past life as a source of employment and industrial identity, and an uncertain future that could see it reborn under new ownership. In the meantime, police work quietly to trace the broken details left behind and families watch the slow turning of local headlines with the hope of something steadier on the horizon.

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Sources :

Yahoo Actualités France News Minimalist / 20 Minutes (via summaries) AFP reporting referenced in news coverage Le Journal des Entreprises (relevant context on Brandt site’s future) Regional industrial background context