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Parisian Jewel Heist Sees First Arrests, Hunt Continues for Remaining Thieves and Priceless Crown Jewels
Paris, France – A week after a daring heist at the prestigious Louvre Museum, French authorities have apprehended the first suspects in connection with the theft of eight of France’s priceless crown jewels. The estimated $102 million worth of artifacts remains missing, as police continue their intensive search for additional culprits.
Two individuals with a known history of jewel thefts were taken into custody on Saturday, just moments before one of them was scheduled to board a flight out of the country. Police had been tracking the suspects for days after DNA evidence was recovered from the crime scene.
The brazen robbery unfolded in the Galerie d’Apollon, where thieves reportedly threatened guards and drilled into display cases before making their escape on scooters. A major police operation was launched immediately, with surveillance footage capturing the suspects fleeing the scene.
According to Axel Ronde, spokesman for the French police union CFTC, forensic teams played a crucial role in identifying the suspects. “They left gloves, a walkie-talkie, a vest, and a can of gasoline,” Ronde stated in an interview on Monday. “And that allowed my colleagues from the forensic team to find these DNA traces.”
Ronde confirmed that both arrested suspects are men in their 30s, hailing from Aubervilliers, a suburb northeast of Paris. Both had prior convictions and were known to law enforcement for previous jewelry store robberies. Police moved in on Saturday after learning that one suspect intended to flee to Algeria, arresting him at Charles de Gaulle airport a mere 40 minutes before his flight’s scheduled departure.
While suspects can typically be held for up to 48 hours without charge, organized crime investigations like this one allow for an extended detention period of up to 96 hours.
Robert Wittman, a former FBI art crime investigator, anticipates further arrests. He noted that the initial arrests would enable police to gather more evidence through searches of the suspects’ homes and analysis of their cell phone data.
Investigators are concerned that the stolen jewels may be melted down or dismantled for sale, but there is still hope for their intact recovery. Wittman suggested that the thieves might have an incentive to keep the jewels preserved, as they could serve as “bargaining tools” if arrested, potentially offering a path to a reduced sentence in countries like France and other parts of Europe.
Prosecutor Laure Beccuau confirmed that the search for both the stolen jewels and the remaining suspects is ongoing. She stated it was “too early” to release further details to the public, adding, “I will release additional information at the end of this period of police custody,” to avoid hindering the investigation.