"A man suspected of being the fourth member of the gang behind last month's Louvre heist was arrested yesterday (25 November) in the small city of Laval, 280km west of Paris. Le Parisien newspaper reports that the suspect has a criminal record and has been charged with organised theft and criminal conspiracy. He is believed to have links to the three alleged members of the gang who had already been arrested."
"Three relatives of the suspect were also taken into custody on Tuesday and are being questioned by the anti-gang squad. "They are two men aged 38 and 39, and two women aged 31 and 40, all from the Paris region," Laure Beccuau, the Paris prosecutor, said in a statement. The prosecutor declined to give any more details on the arrests before the end of the suspect's detention period. Under French law, they can be held for four days."
"The seven-minute attack on the Louvre took place on 19 October and saw thieves make off with French crown jewels, valued at €88m. Though the heist at first seemed to be the work of seasoned professionals, the prosecutor has since acknowledged that they were not "high level organised criminals.""
"The ensuing security scandal in the wake of the robbery has left Louvre director Laurence des Cars struggling to save her grand project for a new entrance to the Louvre. The planned development would lead to a 22,000 sq. m underground complex around the Mona Lisa and an exhibition hall. Shortly after the robbery, the state auditing body published a scathing report concluding the Louvre had "chosen visible and attractive events" over the safety of its collections. It also described the plan for a new entrance, which has an estimated budget of €666m, as "financially unsound.""
A man suspected as the fourth member of the gang behind the 19 October Louvre crown jewels theft was arrested in Laval and charged with organised theft and criminal conspiracy. Three relatives were also detained and are being questioned by the anti-gang squad; prosecutors gave ages and withheld further details pending detention. Three previously charged suspects were named and had prior police records. The seven-minute heist stole €88m in crown jewels and prompted a security scandal that imperils plans for a €666m new entrance, with a state audit criticising the Louvre's focus on visible events over collection safety.
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