Chinese e‑commerce giant JD.com has announced a major breakthrough in the investigation of a December theft at one of its Paris warehouses: French police, with support from the Chinese embassy in France, have recovered the vast majority of the stolen inventory and advanced the case toward resolution. The company said it will continue to cooperate with Paris authorities on follow‑up recovery and handover work, and that the affected facility has returned to normal operations.
The raid on the Paris warehouse occurred on 22 December 2025 Beijing time and immediately drew attention because early media accounts put the scale of the loss at more than 50,000 consumer electronics items worth about €37 million (roughly RMB 300 million). JD pushed back at the time, saying the public ‘‘major loss’’ figures diverged significantly from the company’s assessment. The latest development — the successful retrieval of most stolen goods — narrows the reputational and financial impact for JD, though some details about exact losses and the number of recovered items have not been published.
French investigators led the operation and the Chinese embassy in Paris provided consular support, a reminder that high‑profile corporate crimes abroad can quickly become matters of bilateral concern. JD’s prompt coordination with local law enforcement and diplomatic channels appears to have been decisive in recovering the stock and restarting operations, underscoring the practical importance of on‑the‑ground presence and government ties when an overseas logistics node is breached.
The incident matters beyond the immediate theft because it tests JD’s broader international strategy. JD has been accelerating what it calls a “global weaving” plan, building more than 130 overseas warehouses in 23 countries and rolling out a European logistics network, JoyExpress. The company’s retail arm, Joybuy, is set to launch in several European markets with same‑day delivery promises in France, the UK, the Netherlands and Germany, highlighting JD’s intent to operate as a local, not merely cross‑border, e‑commerce player.
JD’s expansion has included a high‑profile purchase of control in Germany’s CECONOMY, the owner of MediaMarkt and Saturn. The bid values CECONOMY at roughly €2.2 billion and has already translated into a near‑majority stake; regulatory approvals remain pending. The Paris theft therefore took place against the backdrop of an aggressive push into Europe that blends logistics investment, retail branding and strategic acquisitions.
For international observers and investors, the episode exposes two competing dynamics. On one hand, rapid localization — building warehouses, hiring local teams and striking distribution deals — reduces dependence on cross‑border freight and gives JD leverage to offer fast service in European cities. On the other hand, owning and operating physical logistics infrastructure across jurisdictions creates new security, regulatory and political exposures that Chinese tech firms have sometimes downplayed.
JD has reiterated its commitment to remain rooted in France, operate compliantly and increase investment in the market. The theft’s near‑resolution allows the company to press ahead with its European roll‑out with fewer immediate operational headaches, but it will still need to demonstrate strengthened security, transparent loss accounting and tighter coordination with insurers and local authorities to secure trust from European consumers and regulators.