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Pierre Loutrel, also known as Pierrot le Fou or Crazy Pete, emerged as a notorious figure in the annals of French crime during the mid-20th century. Born in 1916 in Montmorency, close to Paris, he initially embarked on a path of petty theft before escalating into more serious criminal activities and eventually aligning himself with Nazi collaborator organisations in World War II.
Loutrel’s aptitude for criminal activities was noted in his adolescent years.
By the age of 19, he had already served time in prison for various offences, including theft and burglary. After his release, he resumed his criminal career, pioneering a form of robbery known as 'smash and grab,' where burglars drive a vehicle through a storefront and quickly steal what they can.
This reckless disregard for law and propriety reflected the unsteady state of his psyche. Loutrel seemed to thrive in the adrenaline of fear, danger, and illegality, imbibing in a degenerate lifestyle that consisted of incessant criminal activities punctuated by frequent incarcerations.
Collaboration with the Nazis: Loutrel and the French Gestapo
However, the most significant and malign chapter of Loutrel’s criminal exploits unfolded with the onset of World War II. When the Nazis under Adolf Hitler occupied France, a significant part of the French populace chose to collaborate with them. Loutrel was one such collaborator who, leveraging his criminal networks and ruthlessness, played a pivotal role in the French Gestapo's activities.
The French Gestapo was a French collaborationist police force during the German occupation of France. Deployed mainly against the French Resistance, these collaborators were known for their brutality and their lack of empathy which mirrored Loutrel's own. His association with the French Gestapo was predominantly focused on tracking down and eliminating members of the French Resistance.
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