$102 million Louvre theft: Suspect caught at airport while preparing to flee
A week after the shocking $102 million theft of royal jewels, French police have arrested suspects. The Paris prosecutor's office confirmed that one of the suspects was arrested at Charles de Gaulle airport as he was preparing to leave France. French media also reported that two people were arrested.
The Paris prosecutor's office confirmed on October 26 (local time) that investigators from the special unit against armed robbery and art theft made arrests on the evening of October 25 in connection with the century-old theft at the Louvre Museum.
"One of the men arrested was preparing to leave the territory from Roissy (Charles de Gaulle) airport," said Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau.
Ms Beccuau did not confirm the total number of people arrested. However, French media such as BFM TV and Le Parisien newspaper simultaneously reported that two suspects had been arrested and detained.
According to CNN and BFMTV, the two suspects are men in their 30s, living in the suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis (Paris) and have criminal records. Investigators tracked them using DNA. One was arrested in the Aubervilliers area, the other was stopped at passport control at the airport as he was about to board an evening flight to Algeria.
At least two other individuals suspected of being involved in the theft are still at large, BFMTV said.
In a statement, prosecutor Laure Beccuau expressed displeasure that information about the arrest was leaked to the press.
She warned that “this revelation can only hinder the investigative efforts” of the team of more than 100 investigators who are “working to recover the stolen jewels and apprehend all the perpetrators”.
As of October 26, sources confirmed there was no sign that the stolen royal jewelry had been recovered.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez congratulated the investigators, saying they "worked tirelessly, as I asked, and they always had my full trust".
The theft occurred on the morning of October 19, shortly after the museum opened. Four masked thieves used a crane (a forklift with a basket) to approach the facade of the building, smashing a window on the upper floor to break into the Apollo Gallery - where the French Royal Jewels are kept.
In less than eight minutes, they smashed two high-security display cases and escaped with eight treasures worth an estimated 88 million euros ($102 million) before fleeing on motorbikes.
Among the stolen treasures were a jade tiara, a necklace and earrings from the collection of Queen Marie-Amélie (19th century); a set of emerald necklaces and earrings associated with Empress Marie-Louise, second wife of Napoleon Bonaparte.
A treasure – a tiara studded with emeralds and more than 1,300 diamonds belonging to Empress Eugénie – was later found damaged outside the museum, possibly dropped by thieves.
The incident was seen as a "national shame", prompting Louvre Director Laurence des Cars to admit it was a "terrible failure".
Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin also acknowledged serious security flaws, such as "unreinforced windows" and "a forklift being able to appear on a public road" right next to the museum.
