Four more people arrested in connection with the spectacular robbery at the Louvre: royal jewels valued at 88 million euros, stolen in just seven minutes
Four people have been arrested in France in connection with the Louvre robbery, in which crown jewels valued at 88 million euros were stolen last month, authorities said. Among those detained is the alleged last member of the gang of four who broke into the museum.
Louvre Museum PHOTO: Profimedia
“They are two men, aged 38 and 39, and two women, aged 31 and 40, all from the Paris region,” said Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau.
The suspect, who has a criminal record, was apprehended by anti-gang squad officers and faces charges of organized theft and criminal conspiracy. He was linked to the three other gang members already arrested and under official investigation, all from the suburb of Aubervilliers, according to theguardian.
The robbery took place on October 19, in the Apollo Gallery of the museum. The thieves parked a stolen truck in front of the Louvre, used an extension ladder and a goods lift to break in through a first-floor window and smashed two glass display cases. The operation lasted less than seven minutes and the escape was accomplished on a scooter.
Among the jewels stolen are an emerald and diamond necklace given by Napoleon Bonaparte to his wife, Marie Louise, and a tiara adorned with 212 pearls and nearly 2,000 diamonds that belonged to Napoleon III's wife, Empress Eugénie.
To date, the jewels have not been recovered.
DNA analyzes carried out on items left at the scene – gloves, reflective vest and disc cutter – led to the arrest of the first two suspects, Ayed G and Abdoulaye N., and a third, Slimane K, who was driving one of the scooters.
One of those arrested on Tuesday, November 25, is believed to be the gang's second driver.
