Louvre heist: Stolen jewelry may be worth $102M, says prosecutor
What's the story
Three days after a daring heist, the Louvre Museum in Paris reopened on Wednesday. On Sunday, thieves made off with historic jewelry from the French crown jewels, dating back to the Napoleonic era. The robbers used a truck-mounted ladder to access the ornate Apollo Gallery through a window and took just seven minutes to complete their operation, according to authorities quoted by CNN.
Stolen treasures
Stolen items include diamond and sapphire set worn by queens
Among the items was a diadem worn by Queen Marie-Amelie and Queen Hortense, which included a tiara with 24 Ceylon sapphires and 1,083 diamonds. Also taken was an emerald necklace and earrings set gifted by Napoleon to his second wife, Marie-Louise of Austria, in March 1810. Prosecutor Laure Beccuau told radio station RTL that the jewelry is estimated to be worth €88 million ($102 million). "But it has nothing parallel....comparable to the historical damage caused by this theft," she said.
Security breach
We have failed, French Justice Minister says
French Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin has admitted that the heist exposed security flaws at the Louvre. "One can wonder about the fact that, for example, the windows hadn't been secured, about the fact that a basket lift was on a public road," he said on France Inter radio "What is certain is that we have failed," Darmanin said, adding, "The French people all feel like they've been robbed."
Recovery doubts
Experts skeptical about recovery of stolen treasures
Experts are skeptical about the recovery of the stolen treasures. Natalie Goulet, a Centrist member of the French Senate, was quoted as saying on Monday that she believes they have likely been smuggled out of France. "I think that the pieces are already abroad," she told CNN, adding that it's possible they could be cut up and sold as part of a money-laundering scheme. Around 100 investigators are involved in the manhunt to find the thieves.
Past heists
High-profile thefts at the Louvre
The Louvre has witnessed high-profile thefts before. The most famous was in August 1911 when Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa was stolen by Vincenzo Peruggia. It took two years for the painting to be recovered. In 1998, a work by French painter Camille Corot was stolen from its frame and remains missing. Meanwhile, Louvre Director Laurence des Cars is set to face questioning by a cultural committee at the French Senate on Wednesday.