Additional Coverage:
- Two new suspects handed preliminary charges in Louvre jewels heist case, Paris prosecutor says (nbcnews.com)
New Suspects Charged in Daring Louvre Heist; Crown Jewels Still Missing
PARIS – The investigation into the audacious October 19 Louvre museum crown jewels heist continues to unfold, with Paris prosecutors announcing preliminary charges against two new suspects. These charges come three days after their arrest, bringing the total number of individuals facing charges in connection with the multi-million dollar theft to four.
Laure Beccuau, the Paris prosecutor, confirmed that a 37-year-old man, previously known to authorities for theft, has been charged with theft by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy. An accompanying 38-year-old woman faces charges as an accomplice. Both individuals are currently incarcerated and have vehemently denied any involvement in the crime, according to the prosecutor.
Adrien Sorrentino, the woman’s attorney, expressed his client’s distress, stating, “She does not understand how she is implicated in any of the elements she is accused of.”
Stolen Treasures Remain Unrecovered
The jewels, valued at an estimated $102 million, remain unrecovered. Among the priceless artifacts stolen are a diamond-and-emerald necklace gifted by Napoleon to Empress Marie-Louise, jewels linked to 19th-century Queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense, and Empress Eugénie’s exquisite pearl-and-diamond tiara.
Five individuals were initially apprehended by police earlier this week. One of these, whose DNA was linked to the heist, is suspected of being part of the four-person team that utilized a freight lift truck to gain entry to the Louvre.
The prosecutor did not specify whether this individual was among those charged on Saturday. The remaining three detainees have since been released without charges.
Earlier this week, two men, aged 34 and 39 from Aubervilliers, north of Paris, were also charged with theft by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy. These two are believed to be the individuals who forced their way into the Apollo Gallery.
One was intercepted at Charles-de-Gaulle Airport with a one-way ticket to Algeria, his DNA matching a scooter used in the getaway. Both have provided “minimalist” statements and “partially admitted” their involvement, Beccuau stated.
Intensive Investigation Underway
In adherence to French law, which mandates the secrecy of ongoing investigations to safeguard police work and privacy, extensive biographical details of the suspects have not been released. Only the prosecutor is authorized to publicly comment on developments.
Beccuau previously lauded the “exceptional mobilization” of approximately 100 investigators working seven days a week. Their efforts have yielded roughly 150 forensic samples for analysis and the sealing of 189 items as evidence.
The heist itself was executed with remarkable speed, taking the robbers less than eight minutes. The four-person team employed a freight lift, allowing two members to force a window and cut into two display cases using disc cutters.
They then fled on two scooters towards eastern Paris. Authorities credit the “near-simultaneous” arrival of police and museum security with preventing the thieves from torching the lift and destroying critical evidence.
While investigators currently see no evidence of insider assistance, they are not ruling out the involvement of a broader network beyond the four individuals captured on camera.
In an unrelated incident, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez announced Thursday that six individuals were arrested in Lyon following a gold refining laboratory robbery involving explosives. The stolen loot, valued at 12 million euros ($13.9 million), has been successfully recovered.