Five Arrested In Louvre Heist

By: Brionna Gillis

French Police have made groundbreaking discoveries in the investigation of the Louvre crown jewel heist in Paris.  Five people have been arrested in the investigation into the theft of crown jewels from the Louvre Museum, but the treasures remain missing, the Paris prosecutor announced Thursday, per CBS news. 

Paris prosecutor, Laure Beccuau, told RTL radio that the five suspects were detained late Wednesday in Paris and the Paris region. One suspect was stopped at the Charles de Gaulle Airport with a one way ticket to Algeria; his DNA matched a scooter used in the getaway, per the LA Times. 

“I imagine that finding the suspects was a top priority of theirs, considering this was such a public event,” said Phaedra Hyche, a graduating senior political science major 

The arrests come just 11 days after the Louvre was robbed on October 19th. The items that were said to have been stolen include a trove valued around $102 million that includes a diamond-and-emerald necklace Napoleon gave Empress Marie-Louise as a wedding gift, jewels tied to 19th-century Queens Marie Amelie and Hortense, and Empress Eugenie’s pearl-and-diamond tiara. 

“I’m not really concerned about them selling it, good luck to them because that's really stupid and risky. I’m concerned about the damage to the stolen property, especially the older pieces that are more likely to break,” said Danielle Young, a fourth year in the five-year MBA. 

So far, one relic has resurfaced. Eugenie’s crown, damaged but salvaged, was dropped during the escape.

Beccuau revealed key details of the height have surfaced. It was reported that nine days before the raid took place, thieves stole a truck mounted-lift, the kind movers use to reach upper floors, after answering a fake moving ad on the French classified site Leboncoin, with the truck being in the area on the day of the heist. 

The security camera footage shows at least four men forcing a window, cutting into two display cases with power tolls and fleeing on two scooters toward eastern Paris. Investigators say there is no sign of insider help for now, though they are not ruling out a wider network beyond the four on camera. 

Two men have been arrested and charged on Wednesday with theft by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy after nearly 96 hours in custody. Beccuau said both gave "minimalist" statements and “partially admitted” their involvement.