In mid-November, Paris prosecutors said they had arrested additional individuals related to the daylight robbery that occurred on October 19 at the Louvre, a development now covered widely as part of the Louvre heist investigation and its ongoing updates. Prosecutors state that four residents of the Paris area, two men (38 and 39), and two women (31 and 40), were taken into custody for further questioning, marking another step in the Louvre jewelry theft update involving rare pieces often referenced in discussions of custom jewelry. A 39-year-old man has been formally charged with organized theft and criminal conspiracy for allegedly being part of the group that broke into the Galerie d’Apollon. Those offenses can result in lengthy jail time under French law.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau told reporters that the suspects had confessed to the heist. Abdul Saboor/Reuters.
Since the heist, the case has progressed rapidly: forensic and surveillance evidence, including DNA traces, link several suspects — including previously detained individuals — to the scooter used during the getaway, and to a broken glass display case inside the gallery. This forensic breakthrough has helped Paris police narrow search for remaining suspects, while new arrests accelerate investigation. By late November, the police had questioned numerous people, several of whom were later released, while a smaller number are facing formal charges. The investigative trail has transformed what appeared to be a movie-like heist into a crime that can be traced back to its perpetrators as Paris police arrests continue.
Louvre Heist Investigation: What New Arrests Reveal About the Missing Jewels
Prosecutors say that the most recently charged suspect has prior convictions, so this robbery appears to have been carried out by a relatively small band of local thieves, not professional art thieves. According to reports from France, some of the people being investigated were common thieves that were hired for one big score, leaving open many unanswered questions regarding who orchestrated the theft and if there are higher-ups still at large. The theft was carried out at approximately 9:30 am, during business hours, on October 19, and shocked audiences around the world. It involved a truck equipped with a hydraulic lift, which allowed the thieves to reach the second-floor gallery. Charges for organized theft can result in up to 15 years, and charges for conspiracy can reach 10 years. In addition to the standard police investigators, the police are working closely with special task forces that deal specifically with organized theft and trafficking in cultural artifacts, and it is likely that additional arrests will take place as the investigation continues.
Photo: Louvre Museum.
As of yet, none of the eight items that were looted (tiaras, necklaces, and custom brooches associated with members of the French royal family of the 19th century, including Empress Eugénie and Marie-Louise) have been recovered. However, only the damaged crown of Empress Eugénie was found near the scene of the crime, and although it does not change the fact that the remaining items have not yet been recovered stolen jewels, it offered investigators a key detail for reconstruction. Interpol has also added the missing works of art to its database of stolen art works to prevent them from being sold internationally. The total value of the items is estimated at €88 million (around $102 million) and they hold great historical and cultural significance.
