Two Men Detained in Connection with $102 Mln Louvre Jewelry Robbery
French authorities have arrested suspects linked to the audacious jewellery robbery at the Louvre, with one of them apprehended just as he was about to leave the country, the Paris prosecutor confirmed on October 26.
According to Le Parisien, two men in their thirties from Seine-Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris known for its economic challenges, were detained on October 25 evening. Both men were already known to police, and one of them was intercepted at Charles de Gaulle Airport while preparing to board a flight to Algeria.
So far, there has been no indication that any of the stolen jewels have been recovered.
Prosecutor Condemns Information Leak
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau did not disclose the exact number of arrests or details about the suspects, but criticised the premature leak of information to the press.
«This revelation can only hinder the investigative efforts of the 100 or so mobilised investigators, both in the search for the stolen jewellery and all the perpetrators. It is too early to provide any specific details,» Beccuau said.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, under pressure to show progress a week after the heist, praised investigators for their work on social media but offered no further comment.
A Daring Daylight Heist
The robbery took place on October 19, when four hooded thieves made off with eight precious items valued at around $102 mln. The gang reportedly used a car ladder to smash an upstairs window during museum opening hours before fleeing on motorbikes.
The theft has sparked widespread outrage in France, described by some commentators as a national embarrassment. Among the stolen treasures were a tiara and an earring once belonging to Queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense from the early 19th century.
The crown of Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III, was later discovered damaged outside the museum, apparently dropped as the thieves escaped.
A Historic Institution Shaken
Built in the late 12th century, the Louvre Palace served as a royal residence before Louis XIV moved his court to Versailles. Converted into a museum after the French Revolution in 1793, it now houses one of the world’s most important art collections, including the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo.
Last year, the Louvre welcomed 8.7 mln visitors, reaffirming its status as the most visited museum in the world, but the recent heist has exposed serious flaws in its security systems.
Kursiv also reports that German lifting equipment manufacturer Böcker Maschinenwerke GmbH has launched an ironic advertising campaign after one of its lift cars was used in a recent jewel heist at the Louvre Museum in Paris.
