Two of the suspects within the Louvre jewelry heist had been convicted of involvement in the identical theft case a decade in the past, French prosecutors have revealed.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau stated three alleged members, of what French media have dubbed the four-strong “commando” workforce who carried out the raid, are actually in custody.
The thieves stole 9 gadgets – certainly one of which was dropped and recovered on the scene – price an estimated £76m in lower than eight minutes whereas the world-famous museum was open to guests on 19 October.
They compelled open a window and minimize into circumstances with energy instruments after gaining entry by way of a vehicle-mounted mechanical carry, earlier than fleeing on scooters.
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Thieves broke into the museum by way of a window they reached utilizing a basket carry mounted onto a lorry.
However prosecutors stated the audacious raid seems to be the work of small-time criminals from the northern suburbs of Paris relatively than Ocean’s Eleven-style skilled gangsters.
“This is not quite everyday delinquency… but it is a type of delinquency that we do not generally associate with the upper echelons of organised crime,” Ms Beccuau instructed franceinfo radio.
The thieves dropped probably the most valuable of the jewels – Empress Eugenie’s crown, product of gold, emerald and diamonds – throughout their getaway, left instruments and different gadgets on the scene, and did not set hearth to the movers’ truck earlier than fleeing.
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Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau. Pic: Reuters
Ms Bacau stated the DNA of a 37-year-old man – who was handed preliminary prices of theft by an organised gang and felony conspiracy on Saturday – was discovered contained in the carry.
His felony document contained 11 earlier convictions, together with 10 for theft, whereas a 39-year-old man handed related preliminary prices on Wednesday has 15 earlier convictions, together with two for theft.
“What’s interesting about these records, when we compare them, is that … we see that they were both involved in the same theft case, for which they were convicted in Paris in 2015,” Ms Beccuau stated.
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The Empress Eugenie tiara. Pic: Louvre
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The tiara (high), necklace (center) and one earring had been taken from the Queen Marie Amelie sapphire set. Pic: Louvre
A 34-year-old man suspected of being a part of the workforce who carried out the heist was additionally hit with preliminary prices on Wednesday.
A 38-year-old girl who was handed preliminary prices of “complicity” on Saturday is alleged to be the girlfriend of the 37-year-old suspect, stated Ms Beccuau, who added there was some “closeness” between all 4 of the suspects, who’re are being held in custody.
A minimum of one suspect nonetheless at giant
France’s inside minister Laurent Nunez stated he’s “optimistic” in regards to the investigation however not that “the loot will be recovered quickly”.
Ms Beccuau didn’t say whether or not investigators are any nearer to discovering the stolen jewels, which included an emerald necklace and earrings tied to Empress Marie-Louise, Napoleon Bonaparte’s second spouse, in addition to a reliquary brooch.
Additionally they took a sapphire diadem (a jewelled headband), necklace and single earring from a set linked to Nineteenth-century queens Marie-Amelie and Hortense, Empress Eugenie’s diamond diadem and her giant corsage-bow brooch.
“We are examining all the possibilities on the parallel market for selling this jewellery, which I hope will not happen anytime soon. … It could be used for money laundering, it could be used for trade, all leads are being explored,” Ms Beccuau stated.
