Daring Heist at the Louvre: Five Arrested in Jewel Theft Case

A 38-year-old woman has been charged and taken into custody following a dramatic theft that occurred at the Louvre Museum in Paris on Sunday, October 19. She stands accused of complicity in armed robbery and organized crime. The suspect was arrested last Wednesday along with four other individuals believed to have participated in the heist in various capacities. While one of the accomplices was released without charges, the remaining three have undergone judicial questioning. This woman is the third suspect charged in relation to the Louvre theft, which also includes two men aged 34 and 39. These men were apprehended last weekend and are currently being held in custody. Prosecutor Laure Beccuau reported on Wednesday that the two men have been interrogated and have partially confessed to their involvement in the theft. The theft at the prestigious Louvre involved four direct participants who stole valuable jewels from the Apollo Gallery. Beccuau indicated that there is a fourth suspect among those arrested on Wednesday, and that these apprehensions were based on phone records, surveillance footage, and DNA evidence rather than the testimonies from the previously arrested suspects. The woman charged in this case resides in the Seine-Saint-Denis department, located north of Paris. As authorities continue to investigate, the specifics of her role in the heist remain unclear. According to French newspaper Le Parisien, during her court appearance on Saturday, she was visibly emotional, shedding tears before the judge. Following her hearing, all spectators and journalists were asked to leave the courtroom. Prosecutor Beccuau further noted that the stolen jewels have yet to be recovered. The audacious theft unfolded at 9:30 AM in broad daylight, taking a mere seven minutes to execute. The assailants utilized a freight elevator from a truck parked alongside the museum, allowing them to access the Apollo Gallery, which is situated on the first floor. Recent footage has surfaced showing the thieves descending slowly in the freight elevator, all while several passersby were strolling nearby, seemingly oblivious to the heist. Another earlier video captures one of the thieves, donned in a yellow vest, as he methodically cuts through the glass of a display case within the Apollo Gallery. As investigations continue, many are left questioning how such a brazen crime could occur at one of the world's most famous museums and what repercussions await those involved. Related Sources: • Source 1 • Source 2