A Bold Louvre Jewel Heist: Small-Time Crooks or Big-Time Mistakes?

A recent jewel heist at the Louvre museum in Paris has left authorities scratching their heads. The thieves, who made off with jewels worth $102 million, were not the slick, professional criminals one might expect. Instead, they appear to be small-time crooks from the northern suburbs of Paris. The robbery took place on a Sunday morning, with two men using a movers’ lift to reach the second storey of the museum. They smashed a window, cracked open display cases with angle grinders, and fled on scooters driven by two accomplices. The entire operation lasted less than seven minutes. Authorities have arrested three of the four suspected thieves. Their profiles do not match those of organized crime professionals. Instead, they are local residents from Seine-Saint-Denis, a low-income area north of Paris. The thieves left behind the most precious jewel, Empress Eugenie’s crown, along with tools and other items, leading some to speculate that they were amateurs. The first two arrests were made a week after the raid. A 34-year-old Algerian man and a 39-year-old man, both from Aubervilliers, were detained. Both have partially admitted their involvement. Two more suspects, a 37-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman, were arrested on October 29 and charged on Saturday. The 37-year-old man has a criminal record with 11 convictions, including aggravated theft and an attempt to break into an ATM. He is in a relationship with the 38-year-old woman, and they have children together. Both deny involvement in the heist. Authorities believe that at least one person is still missing, and they have not ruled out the possibility of other accomplices. Three people arrested with the couple on October 29 have been freed without charge. The prosecutor’s office has stated that the thieves do not fit the profile of organized crime professionals. Instead, they are seen as small-time criminals who managed to pull off a high-profile heist. The jewels are still missing, and the investigation continues.