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French authorities have confirmed that the audacious daylight robbery of historical jewels from the Louvre Museum last month was carried out by petty criminals rather than professional organized crime figures. The stolen collection, valued at approximately $102 million, includes several priceless items from France’s crown-jewels collection.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau told franceinfo on Sunday that the suspects appear to be local residents from Seine-Saint-Denis, a low-income suburb north of Paris. “These are clearly local people,” Beccuau said, adding that their profiles are not typical of professional gangsters capable of executing complex operations.
The robbery occurred on a Sunday morning two weeks ago. Two men parked a moving lift outside the Louvre, ascended to the second floor, smashed a window, and used angle grinders to break open display cases. The thieves then fled on scooters driven by two accomplices. The entire operation lasted less than seven minutes.
Investigators have arrested three of the four suspected thieves. The first two, a 34-year-old Algerian national and a 39-year-old man already under judicial supervision for previous thefts, were apprehended shortly after the robbery. On October 29, authorities arrested a 37-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman, who are believed to have been involved in the heist. DNA evidence from the moving truck linked some of the suspects to the crime scene, though the couple denies participation.
Beccuau noted that at least one suspect remains at large and that investigators have not ruled out additional accomplices.
French media reports indicate that the robbers acted amateurishly, leaving behind several of the most valuable items, including Empress Eugénie’s crown, along with tools and other evidence. In the wake of the theft, Louvre security has come under scrutiny due to outdated surveillance systems and insufficient staffing.
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