Authorities have arrested seven suspects in connection with a recent $4.5 million jewelry caber heist connected to the Louvre Museum in Paris. This scandalous act of plunder led to the flight of France’s crown jewels. Taken together, the stolen items are estimated to be valued at $100 million and above. Among them is an astonishing emerald necklace—composed of over 1,000 diamonds—that Napoleon first presented to his second wife. Even with the arrests, investigators still haven’t recovered any of the looted treasures.
That daring heist happened earlier this year when a crew of four men dressed as workmen gained entry to the museum in broad daylight. With military precision, they planned their operation, going after artifacts as far back as the Napoleonic period. The gang was able to hack past security systems and carry out the caper in a way that’s left federal authorities scratching their heads.
Last weekend, law enforcement announced the arrest of the first two suspects.
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One of them attempted to flee to Algeria from Charles de Gaulle airport. The story of their capture inspired a larger investigation. This recent work has already led to the identification of and arrest of five additional individuals. Of the new potential killers, one makes the most sense. Authorities suspect this man was directly associated with the original four-man crew responsible for stealing the gold.
Since the investigation began, forensic evidence has been essential. Investigators identified DNA evidence from one of the suspects on shards of glass recovered at the murder site. This chain of evidence is crucial to build a stronger case for those arrested and to demonstrate the careful handling and continuing nature of the investigation.
All of the seven suspects are now formally charged with organized retail theft and criminal conspiracy. Authorities are still working to discover the full extent of the operation. Equally important, they are trying to get back the stolen artifacts that carry tremendous historical value.
