Two Louvre heist suspects ‘had prior theft conviction’
Two of the suspects in the Louvre jewel heist were convicted together in a theft case 10 years ago, while three members of the alleged four-man team are now in custody, the Paris prosecutor said.
DNA of a 37-year-old man charged Saturday was found inside the basket lift used to reach the museum’s window, Laure Beccuau said.
Preliminary charges were filed against him on charges of theft by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy.
Beccuau said his criminal record includes 11 previous convictions, 10 of which were for theft.
The criminal record of a 39-year-old suspect who faced similar preliminary charges Wednesday cited 15 convictions, including two for burglary, Beccuau said.
“The interesting thing about these records is that when we compare them, we see that they were both involved in the same theft for which they were convicted in Paris in 2015,” Beccuau said.
Another man, a 34-year-old suspected of being part of a “commando” team that French media have dubbed thieves, was also charged this week.
Beccuau noted that the 38-year-old woman, who faced preliminary charges for “complicity” on Saturday, was the long-term partner of the 37-year-old suspect, noting that there was some “closeness” between all the suspects.
All four are being held in custody.
Beccuau declined to answer a question about whether investigators were any closer to finding the jewelry.
“We are examining all possibilities in the parallel market for the sale of this jewellery, hopefully it will not happen anytime soon… It can be used for money laundering, it can be used for trading, all leads are being investigated,” he said.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said in an interview with Le Parisien newspaper on Saturday that he remained “optimistic” about the investigation.
“There are four perpetrators, at least one of whom is still at large, plus the person or persons who probably ordered the crime and the jewelry,” Nuñez said. he said.
“I have great confidence in the work of the police, so I am optimistic. But my optimism does not extend to thinking that the spoils will be recovered quickly,” he added.
