French authorities have captured the alleged fourth and final member of an organized criminal group responsible for the breathtaking theft of France’s crown jewels from the Louvre Museum. The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed Friday that the 39-year-old suspect, who has an extensive criminal history with six prior convictions, was taken into custody earlier this week.
The suspect now faces preliminary charges of robbery by an organized gang—carrying a potential 15-year prison sentence—and criminal conspiracy, which could add another decade to his imprisonment if convicted. The brazen October 19 daylight heist, executed with angle grinders, a freight lift, and careful subterfuge, resulted in the loss of precious historical artifacts valued at approximately €88 million ($102 million), not accounting for their immense cultural significance to French heritage.
According to investigative details, the operation involved a four-person team with two individuals penetrating the museum’s Apollo Gallery while two accomplices waited outside on motorbikes for a swift escape. The thieves completed their mission in under eight minutes, utilizing worker disguises with bright vests to avoid detection. Security footage revealed they used grinders to breach jewelry display cases.
While the imperial crown of Empress Eugénie—containing over 1,300 diamonds—was recovered outside the museum, the majority of the stolen collection remains missing. This includes Napoleon’s diamond-and-emerald necklace gifted to Empress Marie-Louise, jewels associated with 19th-century Queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense, and Empress Eugénie’s pearl-and-diamond tiara.
The sophisticated robbery has prompted serious scrutiny of security protocols at the Louvre, which welcomes more visitors annually than any other museum worldwide. The prosecutor’s statement did not specify the exact role the newly apprehended suspect played in the meticulously planned operation.