Two individuals have been apprehended in connection with the recent theft of France’s valuable crown jewels from the Louvre Museum, a crime that transpired in a swift seven-minute operation. Reports indicate that one suspect was captured at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport while attempting to board a flight to Algeria days after the audacious heist, where a gang absconded with £76 million worth of jewelry. Surveillance was placed on the suspects following forensic evidence linking them to the vicinity of the Louvre on the day of the robbery.
In a typical post-heist procedure, authorities monitor suspects in the hope of tracing the stolen items. However, upon spotting one of the suspects at the airport, detectives swiftly made the decision to make the arrests. The apprehended individuals were taken to the high-security Paris judicial police headquarters for questioning.
During the robbery, the Louvre went into lockdown as the gang, dressed in high-visibility vests, utilized a mechanical ladder attached to a truck to access a first-floor balcony. They then broke into the Galerie d’Apollon through a window with power tools before fleeing on scooters. The stolen jewelry included a brooch adorned with 2348 diamonds and a tiara embellished with 1083 diamonds, both previously worn by Napoléon Bonaparte’s relatives.
As they fled, the thieves dropped a damaged headpiece crafted for Empress Eugénie, the wife of Napoléon III, during the 1855 Universal Exhibition in Paris, necessitating extensive restoration. President Emmanuel Macron vowed to capture the culprits and recover the stolen items, prompting a widespread manhunt.
The arrests follow the discovery of over 150 DNA traces, including fingerprints, left by the burglars at the scene. Forensic teams are actively analyzing these samples to swiftly identify the four individuals involved in the heist. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau expressed optimism about locating the perpetrators, noting that if they have prior criminal records, their DNA would already be on file in police databases. The trace samples were found on a stolen flatbed truck, as well as on a discarded crash helmet and glove.
Authorities are keen on expediting the apprehension of the perpetrators to recover the stolen jewelry before any potential tampering occurs. The Louvre, a top tourist destination that hosted nearly 9 million visitors in 2024, has encountered security breaches in the past, such as the infamous 1911 incident where the Mona Lisa was stolen and later recovered. The museum has since implemented stringent security measures to safeguard its valuable artifacts.
