Two men arrested in $150m jewel heist investigation
These included a diamond and emerald necklace and emerald earrings once worn by Napoleon Bonaparte’s wife, Empress Marie Louise, as well as a brooch that belonged to Napoleon III’s wife, Empress Eugenie.
A damaged Eugenie tiara was found fallen nearby.
The weekend arrests were a major breakthrough for French investigators as they race to find stolen jewels before they are smashed or melted down.
While the investigation continued, the location where the daytime robbery took place attracted great attention from both tourists and locals.
Every day, passersby stop to take selfies of the forced-open window, while others try to find even diamond pieces. Le Parisien reported.
The robbery caused the Louvre to close for three days. French President Emmanuel Macron called for stronger security measures to be quickly implemented.
Laurence des Cars, the Louvre director personally appointed by Macron, offered to resign this week but was rejected. On Wednesday, des Cars told a senate hearing that the museum had been “defeated.”
Suspects can be held without charge for 96 hours.Credit: access point
Comparing the Louvre unfavorably to the Musée d’Orsay, where he previously worked, he said: “There is a weakness in the Louvre, and I fully accept it.”
The director called for the number of security cameras to be doubled, stating that there were long-term problems with the current coverage.
The only CCTV camera on the Apollo Gallery side of the museum faces west and did not record the thieves’ entry.
More than 100 detectives are involved in the investigation and the prosecutor’s office said DNA samples were found on gloves, grinders and a vest left behind by the robbers.
Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin last week called the robbery a failure and acknowledged that it gave a “deplorable image of France.”
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, in a post on Sunday
London Telegram On Saturday, sources close to the investigation reported that they believed the looters had obtained “sensitive internal information about the museum’s security system” before the crime.
Police teams are examining the basket crane used by the thieves.Credit: access point
A source said: “There is digital forensic evidence that suggests collusion with one of the museum’s security guards and the thieves.
“Sensitive information regarding the museum’s security was transferred, so they were made aware of the breach.”
AP via Reuters
