Prosecutor Confirms Two Suspects’ Admission of Involvement in Louvre Heist
**Two Suspects Detained in Daring Daylight Heist at the Louvre**
Two individuals have been taken into custody in connection with a brazen jewel heist at the Musée du Louvre, Paris officials disclosed today. Partially confessing to their involvement, the suspects were apprehended following a dramatic robbery on October 19, where crown jewels valued over $100 million were stolen. The prized artifacts remain at large, while two other suspects are still being pursued by authorities.
Paris prosecutor Lauren Beccuau revealed details about the captured suspects during a recent briefing. The first, a 34-year-old Algerian man residing in France since 2010, was arrested at Charles de Gaulle Airport with a one-way ticket to Algeria. Known to law enforcement with previous theft convictions and traffic violations, he had been employed as a garbage collector and delivery driver.
The secondary suspect, aged 39, was detained at his residence the same day. Of French descent, he bore a record of aggravated thefts dating 2008 and 2014 and is under judicial review for a pending case. Beccuau assured his DNA matched samples collected from the Louvre heist crime scene, merging his activities as a taxi and delivery driver into the investigation.
Operating from Aubervilliers, a Parisian suburb, both are charged with organized theft, risking severe penalties, including imprisonment for up to 15 years. Beccuau refrained from disclosing details about the at-large suspects while confirming no Louvre insider collaboration and the absence of direct threats to witnesses during the heist.
Evidence points to the use of a stolen lift for escape, attempting to obscure tracks with gasoline post-theft. Despite the ongoing search for the imperiled jewels deemed “obviously unsellable,” hope lingers for their recovery, with calls for public vigilance against illicit trade in such irreplaceable artifacts.
Hyperallergic continues its pursuit for further insights from related authorities.