One day after the daring, 10-minute Louvre heist in which thieves made off with priceless jewelry, officials have released an update regarding the motive (via The New York Post).
Officials Announced Theory Regarding Louvre Robbery
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau told local outlets that, at this point, authorities are operating under the assumption that the heist was commissioned by a collector. “We’re looking at the hypothesis of organized crime,” Beccau said, adding that the thieves who executed the heist appear to have been recruited by someone in the art world.
An upside of the heist having been commissioned by a collector is that, should the jewelry be found, it will likely still be in immaculate condition. Beccau believes it’s possible that the criminals will use the stolen jewels to launder money from their other illegal activities. “Nowadays, anything can be linked to drug trafficking, given the significant sums of money obtained from drug trafficking,” Beccau explained.
“Foreign Interference” Has Been Ruled Out
While authorities were initially keeping an open mind regarding the investigation, they have since ruled out “foreign interference” as a possibility. On Monday, Laurent Nunez, France’s Interior Minister, announced that the investigation is being handled by a specialized police unit which is experienced in solving “high-profile robberies.”
The Louvre remained closed on Monday as officials continued their investigation. The brazen daylight robbery occurred Sunday morning when a trio of thieves disguised as construction workers entered the museum while staff and visitors were present. They reportedly used a basket lift to get to a second-floor window, then used small, gas-powered chainsaws to break through the windows. They were seeking nine items, but managed to make off with only eight. Amidst their escape, the thieves lost the ninth piece—the crown of Napoleon III’s wife, Empress Eugenie. “It’s worth several tens of millions of euros—just this crown,” Alexandre Giquello, the president of Drout auction house, told Reuters.
