The Louvre robbery was carried out by “petty” criminals, not professionals, says Paris' chief prosecutor. Two of the suspects are a couple with children

The chief prosecutor of Paris said on Sunday that “petty” criminals, not professionals from the world of organized crime, were behind the spectacular jewel heist at the Louvre, adding that two of the suspects were a couple with children, reports AFP, according to France24.

A week after the robbery, the police arrested two men suspected of having broken into the Louvre, namely a 34-year-old Algerian, settled in France since 2010, detained while trying to board a flight to Algeria, and a 39-year-old man already under judicial control for aggravated theft.

Both live in Aubervilliers, north of Paris, and have “partially admitted” involvement in the robbery, Beccuau said last week, Reuters notes.

Two other suspects, a 37-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman, were arrested on October 29 and charged on Saturday.

The stolen jewelry, estimated at $102 million, has not been recovered.

The Louvre robbery was not the work of professionals

On Sunday, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said the suspects, who lived in poor neighborhoods in the north of the French capital, were considered petty criminals, not members of organized crime networks.

“Their profiles do not correspond to those generally associated with the higher levels of organized crime,” Beccuau told France Info.

“They are obviously people from the area. They all live, more or less, in Seine-Saint-Denis,” the prosecutor said, referring to a poor region in northern Paris.

The French media speculated that the thieves were amateurs, as they dropped the most valuable piece, Empress Eugénie's crown made of gold, emeralds and diamonds, left tools and other items at the scene, and failed to set fire to the truck used in the operation before leaving.

Beccuau said the 37-year-old man and 38-year-old woman charged on Saturday were a couple and had children together.

They “denied any involvement,” the prosecutor said, and the man “refused to make any statement,” Beccuau added.

The man was indicted for organized theft and forming a criminal group, while his partner was charged with complicity in organized theft and participation in a criminal group.

The woman broke down in tears as she appeared in court in Paris on Saturday, saying she feared for her children and her own safety.

The two were arrested after their DNA was found on the nacelle used during the robbery.

The prosecutor said “significant” DNA evidence had been found linking the man to the crime. Traces of his partner's DNA were also identified, but they could have gotten there through contact with a person or object, Beccuau added.

“All these aspects are to be investigated”, stated the prosecutor.

The man has a record of 11 previous convictions, most of them for theft, Beccuau also said.

And the first two men arrested were previously known to the police for acts of theft.