Louvre jewels heist work of petty criminals, not organised crime, prosecutor says
French media had previously suggested that the robbers were amateurs; because, while escaping, they dropped the most valuable of the jewels (Empress Eugenie’s crown made of gold, emeralds and diamonds), left tools and other items at the scene, and did not set fire to the transporter’s truck before escaping.
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A week after the raid, police arrested two men suspected of breaking into the Louvre Museum: a 34-year-old Algerian who had been living in France since 2010 and was detained by police while trying to board a flight to Algeria, and a 39-year-old who was already under judicial custody for aggravated theft.
Both lived in Aubervilliers, north of Paris, and had “partially acknowledged” their involvement, Beccuau said last week.
Two more suspects, a 37-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman, were arrested on October 29 and charged on Saturday.
‘At least one’ member of the robbery group remains missing
Based on DNA found in the truck, the 37-year-old man is believed to be part of the four-man group that carried out the robbery, Beccuau said.
He said he had 11 criminal convictions for a range of offences, including traffic-related offences, aggravated burglary and attempting to break into an automatic teller machine.
Security at the Louvre museum has been increased since this audacious crime.Credit: access point
He said he was in a relationship with the 38-year-old woman and they had children together, adding that he and one of the two other men arrested were convicted of the same robbery in 2015.
Traces of the woman’s DNA were also found on the transporter’s truck, but Beccuau said those DNA traces appeared to have been transferred to the truck, possibly by a person or object that was later placed in the vehicle.
Both denied involvement in the robbery, the prosecutor’s office said on Saturday.
When asked if authorities believed three of the four thieves had been arrested, Beccuau said “at least one person is still missing.” He did not rule out the possibility that he might have other accomplices.
Three people arrested with the couple on October 29 were released without charge, the prosecutor’s office said on Saturday.
Reuters
