Police in Paris have apprehended five additional individuals connected to the heist at the Louvre museum’s Apollo gallery, where treasures valued at $143 million Cdn were stolen. The theft, carried out by four masked thieves in broad daylight on October 19, revealed security vulnerabilities at the renowned museum. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau disclosed that the recent arrests were made following coordinated operations in Paris and its northern suburbs. DNA evidence left at the crime scene led to the identification of one suspect, although it remains unclear if all suspects were directly involved.
Investigators are leveraging evidence from phones and other items seized from the suspects to analyze encrypted communications. Suspects under investigation for criminal conspiracy in France can be detained for up to 96 hours before formal charges are brought. Beccuau emphasized that the stolen artifacts, including royal jewelry such as necklaces, tiaras, and earrings adorned with thousands of diamonds, rubies, and emeralds, could be used for money laundering or within organized crime networks.
Despite the arrests, finding the stolen jewels may prove more challenging than locating the thieves, cautioned art crime experts. The jewels could potentially be dismantled, with the gemstones recut and the gold melted down to conceal their origins. Beccuau made an appeal for the treasures to be surrendered, highlighting that the courts would consider the absence of any financial loss resulting from the burglary. The prosecutor also mentioned the possibility of a broader network being involved in the heist, including individuals orchestrating the theft.
Prior to the recent arrests, two suspects had partially admitted their roles in the robbery. One of the suspects, a 34-year-old Algerian national residing in France, was apprehended while attempting to flee the country. Beccuau disclosed that the other suspect, a 39-year-old individual with a history of aggravated theft, was already under judicial supervision. Both men reside in Aubervilliers, a neighborhood in northern Paris.