Post by : Rameen Ariff

Paris, France – Four more people have been arrested as part of the ongoing investigation into the major jewelry theft at the Louvre Museum last month. The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed that two men, aged 38 and 39, and two women, aged 31 and 40, all from the Paris region, were taken into custody on Tuesday.

This group includes what authorities believe to be the final member of a four-man gang responsible for carrying out the daylight robbery on October 19. The other three suspects involved in the heist had already been arrested and charged earlier. Police now have up to 96 hours to question the new suspects. However, the precious stolen jewels, valued at around €88 million (approximately $102 million), have yet to be recovered.

Earlier arrests include a 38-year-old woman charged with complicity in organized theft and criminal conspiracy, and a 37-year-old man charged with theft and conspiracy. Both have denied involvement in the crime. It is reported that these two suspects are partners and have children together.

The theft was carefully planned and executed. The gang used a stolen vehicle equipped with a mechanical lift to access the Galerie d’Apollon (Gallery of Apollo) through a balcony near the River Seine. Once inside, the thieves used a disc cutter to break open the display cases holding the valuable jewelry. The entire robbery lasted just four minutes. The gang escaped on two scooters waiting outside before switching to cars.

Among the stolen items are eight precious pieces, including a famous emerald and diamond necklace that Napoleon I gave to his second wife, Empress Marie-Louise, a pair of earrings, and a gold tiara worn by Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III. One item, a crown, was dropped during the escape but the other jewelry pieces remain missing.

Authorities have described the thieves as petty criminals rather than members of a highly organized crime group. The museum’s director revealed that the only security camera monitoring the Gallery of Apollo was not pointing at the balcony the thieves used to break in. This security gap has been heavily criticized.

The Louvre’s president has acknowledged failures in museum security and has called for increased investment since taking office in 2021. Following the heist, security measures have been strengthened across France’s cultural institutions. Some of the museum’s most valuable jewels have now been transferred to the Bank of France for safer storage.

The investigation continues as police work to find the stolen jewelry and bring all involved to justice.

#world news #Global News