Paris city hall confirmed that a stolen USB memory stick did not contain police security plans for the 2024 Olympic Games.
ADVERTISEMENTA major police investigation was triggered on Wednesday after reports that security plans for this summer's Paris Olympics had been been stolen from a train in the French capital.
A city hall worker reported his bag missing after he went to change trains at the Gard du Nord station.
Media initially reported that among the bag's contents were two USB sticks that contained sensitive data on municipal police plans for securing this summer’s Olympic Games.
But in a statement on Wednesday, Paris city hall said: “Initial checks have allowed us to establish that the staff member was not in possession of any information relating to the organisation and deployment of police during the Olympics and Paralympics”.
The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed to France Info TV that the professional USB memory stick contained notes about road traffic in Paris during the Olympics and not sensitive security data.
However, the incident led to extra cybersecurity measures being taken. An internal investigation is also underway at city hall, which could lead to sanctions.
Paris 2024 organisers declined to comment.
The Paris Games in July and August will be one of the city's biggest security operations in years, with 30,000 police officers set to be on duty daily around the French capital.
Some 300,000 people are expected to attend the opening ceremony alone.