French authorities have charged the fourth and final suspect in connection with last month's brazen jewelry heist at the Louvre Museum in Paris. The 39-year-old man, who has an extensive criminal history with six previous convictions, was arrested this week as investigators closed in on the four-person gang responsible for the dramatic robbery that shocked the art world.
Prosecutor Laure Beccuau, who is leading the investigation, announced on Friday that the suspect has a long record of criminal activity. "Already convicted six times, this man was known to courts for various offenses, such as pimping, driving without a license, and receiving stolen goods," Beccuau said in an official statement. However, prosecutors did not specify what exact role the man is believed to have played in the sophisticated heist operation.
The robbery took place on October 19, when the criminal gang executed a meticulously planned raid on the world's most-visited art museum in broad daylight. The thieves needed just seven minutes to steal jewelry valued at an estimated $102 million before making their escape on scooters through the streets of Paris. The speed and precision of the operation has drawn comparisons to Hollywood heist movies.
The final suspected gang member was apprehended on Tuesday at a construction site in Laval, a town in western France, according to sources close to the investigation. With his arrest, all four suspects believed to have carried out the robbery are now in custody and have been formally charged with organized theft and criminal conspiracy. Despite the arrests, the stolen jewelry remains missing, and authorities continue their search for the valuable pieces.
The other three suspects already in detention are men aged 35, 37, and 39, who are suspected of being part of the coordinated four-person team. According to investigators, two members of the gang entered the museum's ornate Apollo Gallery while the other two remained outside as lookouts before all four fled together. Additionally, a 38-year-old woman who is the romantic partner of one of the suspects has been charged with complicity in the crime but has been released on bail pending further proceedings.
The audacious robbery has raised serious questions about security measures at the Louvre, which welcomes millions of visitors annually as the world's most popular museum. Security footage from the museum's cameras revealed the sophisticated nature of the operation, showing how the thieves used a freight elevator to reach a window in the building and gain access to the gallery.
Once inside the Apollo Gallery, the two intruders worked with remarkable efficiency, using industrial grinders to cut through the reinforced glass of jewelry display cases. The entire operation, from entry to escape, took less than eight minutes, highlighting both the gang's preparation and potential security vulnerabilities at the historic institution.
In a twist of fate, one of the most valuable pieces targeted in the heist was later recovered. The emerald-set imperial crown that belonged to Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III, was found outside the museum grounds. The crown, which contains more than 1,300 diamonds, represents one of the most significant historical artifacts that the thieves attempted to steal during their raid.
