page_title: Chauffeur (criminal)
hierarchical_section_title: Chauffeur (criminal)
caption_attribution_description: Cover page of "Le Petit Journal", 15 November 1908. "Les chauffeurs d'aujourd'hui. Comment procédaient les bandits de la Drôme"
context_page_description: A chauffeur was a type of French criminal active from the 18th to the 20th centuries. In gangs, they carried out home invasions on remote, rural dwellings, then tortured the householders into revealing the hiding places of savings or valuables. This was often done by burning victims' feet in the fireplace, which gave rise to their name.
  A notable gang was the Chauffeurs de la Drome, who were responsible for eighteen murders between 1905 and 1908.
  These attacks continued after the Second World War. Le gang des Romanis was active in Bourgogne and Le Gang d’Albert was active in Picardy until their leaders were separately captured and executed in 1952.
context_section_description: A chauffeur (French, "heater upper") was a type of French criminal active from the 18th to the 20th centuries. In gangs, they carried out home invasions on remote, rural dwellings, then tortured the householders into revealing the hiding places of savings or valuables. This was often done by burning victims' feet in the fireplace, which gave rise to their name.
  A notable gang was the Chauffeurs de la Drome, who were responsible for eighteen murders between 1905 and 1908.
  These attacks continued after the Second World War. Le gang des Romanis was active in Bourgogne and Le Gang d’Albert was active in Picardy until their leaders were separately captured and executed in 1952.
caption: The Chauffeurs de la Drome torture a victim, Le Petit Journal, 15 November 1908
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