Louvre Museum Heist: Five More Arrested, Crown Jewels Still Missing

Strategic Insights -

Police investigation into the theft of the crown jewels from the Louvre Museum has led to the arrest of five more suspects, bringing the total number of arrested individuals to seven. However, despite the progress in the investigation, the missing treasures have not been found. The thieves, who carried out the heist in broad daylight on October 19, stole eight pieces of the French crown jewels valued at roughly £78m in less than eight minutes.

Key Takeaways:

  • The five additional suspects were arrested on Wednesday night in separate operations in Paris and surrounding areas, bringing the total number of arrested individuals to seven.
  • One of the suspects, a 34-year-old Algerian national, was arrested at Charles de Gaulle airport as he was about to fly to Algeria with no return ticket. He has been living in France since 2010 and was known to police mostly for road traffic offenses.
  • Another suspect, a 39-year-old man, was arrested at his home in Aubervilliers, a suburb north of Paris. He was known to police for several thefts and his DNA was found on one of the glass cases where the jewels were displayed and on items the thieves left behind.
  • The investigation has found that the robbers used a freight lift to enter the museum and climbed up to the window using the lift. They left the scene on two scooters along the Seine River toward eastern Paris, where other vehicles were parked.
  • The prosecutor, Laure Beccuau, made a plea to those who have the jewels: "These jewels are now, of course, unsellable - anyone who buys them would be guilty of concealment of stolen goods. There's still time to give them back."
  • The investigation is ongoing, and nothing suggests that the robbers had any accomplices within the museum's staff.

Statistics:

  • £78m: the estimated value of the stolen crown jewels.
  • 8 minutes: the time it took for the thieves to steal the jewels.
  • 7: the total number of arrested individuals, including the two suspects arrested on Sunday.
  • 2: the number of suspects arrested on Sunday, including one who admitted their involvement.
  • 4: the minimum number of criminals involved in the heist, as shown by video surveillance cameras.
  • 2: the number of scooters used to leave the scene.
  • 1: the number of freight lift used to enter the museum.

Sources:

  • RTL radio: cited as the source of Laure Beccuau's statement on the investigation and plea to return the jewels.
  • AFP via Getty Images: cited as the source of images related to the heist.
  • The original article: cited as the source of information on the investigation and the stolen jewels.