French authorities have made significant progress in their investigation into the recent theft of precious jewelry from the iconic Louvre Museum in Paris. According to a statement from Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau, investigators executed arrests on Saturday evening, with one suspect attempting to flee the country from Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport.
As reported by the French newspaper Le Parisien and the magazine Paris Match, the arrest at the airport occurred around 10 PM (20:00 GMT) on Saturday. Shortly after, a second suspect was apprehended in the surrounding Paris region. Both men, in their thirties and hailing from the Seine-Saint-Denis area, are known to French police. They are currently facing serious charges of organised theft and criminal conspiracy, as reported by AFP.
Prosecutor Beccuau did not disclose the total number of arrests made during this operation, which was conducted by the police’s anti-gang brigade. She expressed concern over the premature leaking of information regarding the arrests, emphasizing that such actions could obstruct ongoing efforts to “recover the stolen jewels and apprehend all of the perpetrators.”
The Louvre Museum, renowned as the world's most visited museum, was forced to close just a week prior to the arrests after a daring heist on October 19. During this brazen daylight robbery, a group of intruders managed to steal eight pieces of priceless jewelry in a mere four minutes. The robbers utilized an extendable ladder from a moving truck to gain access to a first-floor gallery, exploiting a known blind spot in the museum's security surveillance.
As they fled the scene on scooters, the robbers inadvertently dropped a crown but successfully made off with other valuable items, including an emerald and diamond necklace that once belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte’s second wife, Empress Marie Louise. The total estimated worth of the stolen jewels is around $102 million, although their cultural significance is deemed priceless.
An intensive manhunt for the thieves has been underway, involving a large team of investigators. Prosecutor Beccuau noted that both public and private security cameras have played a crucial role in tracking the suspects “in Paris and in surrounding regions.” Investigators have also collected numerous DNA samples and fingerprints from the crime scene.
The shocking heist has ignited discussions in France regarding the security measures at cultural institutions. Within 24 hours of the Louvre heist, another museum in eastern France reported a theft involving gold and silver coins after discovering a smashed display case. Additionally, last month saw thieves break into Paris’s Natural History Museum, making off with gold nuggets valued at over $1.5 million. A Chinese woman has since been detained and charged in connection with that theft.
The unfolding events surrounding the Louvre Museum jewelry theft highlight not only the challenges faced by law enforcement in securing cultural treasures but also the urgent need for enhanced security protocols at such significant historical sites.
