Two men have been arrested by French police in connection with the €88 million theft of irreplaceable crown jewels from the Louvre museum in Paris. One of the suspects was arrested by officers at Charles de Gaulle Airport on Saturday night as he prepared to catch a flight. The arrests were made just days after four robbers smashed into the world’s most popular museum in daylight last Sunday.
The Paris prosecutor’s office identified the arrests on Saturday night but did not provide complete information regarding the number of people detained. According to French media, one of the suspects attempted to board a flight to Algeria while another was en route to Mali. Special police officers are now allowed to detain and interrogate them for a period of 96 hours.
DNA Evidence Led to Arrests
Police discovered DNA at the scene of the robbery that aided in identifying one of the suspects, French media reported on Sunday. Several items were left behind by the gang during their getaway including gloves and a high-visibility vest. Previous reports indicated that they also dropped an Empress Eugenie crown, the wife of Napoleon III.
The Paris prosecutor criticised people for leaking details of the case prematurely, claiming that it made it more difficult for police to retrieve the jewels and apprehend thieves. Some of the eight stolen items were the Marie-Louise necklace, a set of earrings, and a tiara that Empress Eugenie wore.
How the Robbery Happened
The robbers arrived at 9:30 am, shortly after the museum doors were open to the public. They came in a truck with a mechanical lift on it. They utilised the lift to access the Galerie d’Apollon balcony that borders the River Seine. Images at the scene depicted their ladder reaching up to the first window.
Two thieves broke through the window with power tools and got in. They intimidated the security guards, who then pushed everyone out of the area. The robbers broke through glass cases containing the crown jewels. French police indicate that the entire operation took only four minutes. The gang made off on two scooters outside at 9:38.
Security Failed at the Museum
France’s justice minister realised security systems had failed miserably, making the country look awful. A report revealed that one room in three in that section of the museum was not even fitted with CCTV cameras. The director of the museum informed French senators that the only camera monitoring the outside wall where robbers entered was facing the wrong direction. It could not spot the first-floor balcony leading to the Gallery of Apollo.
They fear the gems may already have been shattered into hundreds of fragments. Dutch art detective Arthur Brand explained that gold and silver can be melted into liquid and jewels cut into tiny stones impossible to track back. The Louvre has transferred its most prized jewels to the Bank of France for storage, 26 meters below ground.
News At Glance
- Two men were arrested on Saturday for €88 million crown jewels from the Louvre museum last Sunday
- One suspect was apprehended at Paris airport en route to Algeria another to Mali
- DNA evidence recovered at the scene including gloves and a hi-vis jacket aided the identification of the suspects
- Four robbers employed a mechanical lift to gain entry through the window taking only four minutes
- The museum had inadequate CCTV coverage with cameras facing the wrong direction during the robbery
FAQs
Q: How much were the jewels that were stolen?
The stolen crown jewels from the Louvre museum were worth €88 million, or approximately £76 million or $102 million.
Q: How did the robbers enter the Louvre?
They used a truck and a mechanical lift to access a first-floor balcony, then used power tools to cut through a window.
Q: How long did the robbery last?
The thieves spent merely four minutes inside the museum before riding away on two scooters parked outside.
Q: What was stolen from the museum?
Eight treasures including the Marie-Louise necklace, earrings, and tiara once owned by Empress Eugenie wife of Napoleon III.
Q: Might the jewels ever be recovered?
Experts fear they might already be scattered into peices with the gold being melted and the gems cut into untraceable pieces.
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