Louvre jewel heist by petty criminals, not organised professionals, says Paris prosecutor | Paris

The Paris prosecutor said the brazen daytime robbery at the Louvre was carried out by common criminals rather than professionals from the world of organized crime, describing two of the suspects as a couple with children.

The claim comes two weeks after thieves parked a stolen truck outside the world’s most visited museum, used a furniture lift to reach the first floor and then broke into one of the museum’s most ornate rooms. Less than seven minutes later, they escaped on scooters carrying the crown jewels, worth an estimated €88 million (£76 million).

A daring robbery carried out in broad daylight on Sunday sparked a showdown in France. Four people have since been charged, but the emerald and diamond necklace that Napoleon I once gave to his second wife, Marie Louise, and the emerald and diamond necklace that Napoleon III once gave to his second wife, Marie Louise, have been indicted. The stolen jewels, including a tiara set of 212 pearls and nearly 2,000 diamonds that belonged to Napoleon’s wife Eugénie, have yet to be recovered.

Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau told radio network Franceinfo on Sunday that at least one more perpetrator was free.

French media suggested the thieves were amateurs after it was revealed that they had dropped the most valuable of the jewels during their escape – Empress Eugénie’s crown made of gold, emeralds and diamonds – and left tools and other items at the scene, possibly bearing traces of their DNA.

“This is not an everyday crime… but it is a type of crime that we don’t usually associate with the higher ups. Beccuau said those accused were local people and all came from Seine-Saint-Denis. area One of the poorest places in France, north of Paris.

On Saturday, prosecutors said a 38-year-old woman and a 37-year-old man were charged and arrested on charges that their DNA was found in the elevator used during the burglary.

The man was charged with organized burglary and criminal conspiracy, while his partner was charged with organized burglary and complicity in criminal conspiracy.

Beccuau described them as a couple who had a child together. He added that they “deny any involvement.” The woman was in tears when she appeared in a Paris court on Saturday, saying she was worried about her children and herself.

Days earlier, police had arrested two other people in connection with the raid: a 34-year-old Algerian who had been living in France since 2010 and a 39-year-old who was already under judicial custody for serious theft. Last week, Beccuau said the men charged with theft and criminal conspiracy had “partially admitted” to their involvement.

Previous criminal records of all three accused, including theft, were known to the police. Beccuau, who did not rule out the possibility of other accomplices on Sunday, said two of the suspects were convicted together in a theft case 10 years ago.

According to the statement made by the prosecutor’s office, the three people arrested with the couple on October 29 were released without charge.

Asked Sunday if investigators were any closer to finding the jewelry, Beccuau demurred, citing the confidentiality of the investigation.

“We are examining all possibilities in the parallel market for the sale of this jewellery, I hope this will not happen anytime soon,” he said. “It could be used for money laundering, it could be used for trading; all leads are being investigated.”