Four Suspects Charged in Louvre Heist, Prosecutor Cites 'Petty Criminals' from Paris Suburbs

Paris, France – Formal charges have been filed against a married couple and two other individuals in connection with the audacious October 19 Louvre Museum robbery, which saw eight crown jewels valued at an estimated $102 million stolen. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccau, speaking on Franceinfo, described the arrested individuals not as professional masterminds but as "petty criminals" originating from impoverished neighborhoods within the capital's suburbs. This characterization challenges initial perceptions of a highly sophisticated operation. According to Beccau, all four suspects, comprising three men and one woman, reside in the Paris suburbs, predominantly in the Saint-Denis area. The prosecutor confirmed that two of the men have previous convictions for theft and other criminal offenses, underscoring their history with law enforcement. The investigation has revealed that DNA evidence played a crucial role in identifying some of the suspects, with traces found on a scooter used in the getaway and on display cases within the museum. On Saturday, formal charges were officially brought against a 38-year-old woman from Courneuve and a 37-year-old man with whom she is in a relationship. The couple, who have children together, have reportedly denied any involvement in the high-profile robbery. Other suspects, including a 34-year-old Algerian national and a 39-year-old man, were among the first to be arrested, with some partially admitting their involvement in the heist. The robbery, which lasted less than seven minutes, involved thieves using a truck-mounted cherry picker to access a second-story window of the Apollo Gallery, then employing disc cutters to breach display cases. The incident has ignited intense debate over security protocols at the Louvre, the world's most visited art museum. Culture Minister Rachida Dati critically assessed the museum's security, citing "chronic, structural underestimation of the risk of intrusion and theft" and "totally obsolete" response protocols. Despite the arrests, the stolen jewels, which include an emerald necklace gifted by Napoleon to Empress Marie-Louise and pieces from the Marie-Amélie and Empress Eugénie collections, remain unrecovered. Authorities fear the priceless artifacts may be dismantled for their raw materials, making their recovery increasingly challenging. The ongoing investigation continues to involve a significant mobilization of French law enforcement, with calls for anyone in possession of the jewels to come forward.