Two individuals connected to the Louvre jewelry robbery have partly confessed to their involvement, with authorities suspecting them of being the perpetrators who forcefully entered the renowned museum, a Paris prosecutor announced on Wednesday. Laure Beccuau revealed during a press briefing that the two suspects are facing preliminary charges related to theft by an organized group and criminal conspiracy.
The theft of jewels, valued at around $143 million Canadian dollars, occurred on October 19 and was executed swiftly, taking less than eight minutes to complete, causing global astonishment.
One suspect, a 34-year-old Algerian national residing in France since 2010, was apprehended at Charles de Gaulle airport while attempting to board a flight to Algeria without a return ticket. Living in Aubervilliers, a suburb of Paris, the individual had a history with the police primarily for traffic violations.
The second suspect, aged 39, was arrested at his residence in Aubervilliers and has no indications of planning to leave the country. Known to law enforcement for multiple thefts, his DNA was discovered on one of the glass cases housing the stolen jewels and on items left at the scene by the thieves, as per Beccuau.
Prosecutors had until late Wednesday to formalize charges against the suspects, release them, or request an extension from a judge.
Despite the arrests, the stolen jewels remain unrecovered, with Beccuau emphasizing that anyone attempting to sell them would be complicit in concealing stolen property. The prosecutor urged for the return of the jewels.
Earlier in the day, French police admitted deficiencies in the Louvre’s security measures, prompting a national reflection on France’s protection of its cultural assets. Paris Police Chief Patrice Faure highlighted outdated security systems and delays in upgrades, leaving vulnerabilities in the museum’s security infrastructure.
Faure disclosed that the Louvre’s authorization to operate security cameras had lapsed in July and was not renewed, underscoring administrative oversights. The initial alert to the police came from a passerby who observed suspicious activity outside the museum.
The heist has also shed light on a lack of private insurance for the jewels, as the French state self-insures national museums due to exorbitant premiums for insuring priceless heritage items.
In response to calls for enhanced security measures, Faure proposed utilizing AI-based anomaly detection and object tracking technologies to bolster surveillance capabilities.
The incident has placed pressure on museum and culture officials, with Culture Minister Rachida Dati defending the Louvre director and acknowledging security gaps while investigations continue.
The robbery has prompted discussions on fortifying security measures at cultural institutions to prevent future incidents and safeguard invaluable artifacts from illicit activities.
