Alpine suffer bizarre break-in as thieves leave empty-handed

Police are investigating an utterly baffling case in which thieves broke into the French offices of the Alpine F1 team - but stole nothing!

The break-in happened at Alpine's Viry-Châtillon factory on Monday around 10pm. French newspaper Le Parisien reported that two people smashed a window in the entrance lobby before heading straight to the management offices upstairs.

The Évry prosecutor's office has confirmed an investigation is underway, with no arrests made yet. The Territorial Crime Division is understood to be handling the case.

It is claimed that several office doors were forced open, with the intruders seemingly knowing their way around the facility.

Surprisingly, though, police found no material damage during their initial investigation, and with nothing taken.

A team source told the paper: "Nothing was stolen. Everything is fine. There were no employees present."

Forensic investigators visited the scene to gather evidence and determine what the intruders were seeking. With theft ruled out, police are exploring other possibilities, including industrial espionage.