Man Suspected of Being the Fourth Gang Member Behind Louvre Heist Has Been Arrested

"On Tuesday, four more suspects were arrested in connection with the theft of the French crown jewels from the Louvre in Paris last month. One of those men, who is currently in police custody, is suspected of being the fourth member of the group who staged the heist. The man in question was arrested yesterday in the small city of Laval, just 174 miles west of Paris."

"He reportedly has a criminal record and has been charged with organized theft and criminal conspiracy, according to Le Parisien. He is also believed to have connections with the other three alleged members who were previously arrested. Additionally, three of the suspect's relatives were taken in for questioning. "They are two men aged 38 and 39, and two women aged 31 and 40, all from the Paris region," Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said in a statement."

"The three men and one woman previously charged in connection with the robbery were identified in media reports as Ayed G, Slimane K, and Abdoulaye N. One suspect's cousin also spoke out about the theft. Of the four, one is a taxi driver and another is a delivery man and garbage collector, the latter of whom was arrested at Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport while allegedly trying to flee on a one-way flight to Algeria."

"The other two are a man and woman who have been identified as domestic partners with two children together; the woman was released from police custody and placed under judicial supervision on Wednesday. The thieves are reported to be locals of Seine-Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris. Beccuau, the prosecutor, previously indicated to France Info Radio, "This is not quite everyday delinquency ... but it is a type of delinquency that we do not generally associate with the upper echelons of organized crime.""

Four additional suspects were arrested in connection with the theft of the French crown jewels from the Louvre, including a man arrested in Laval who is suspected to be the fourth member of the group. He reportedly has a criminal record and faces charges of organized theft and criminal conspiracy and is believed to have links to three previously arrested alleged accomplices. Three relatives were taken in for questioning. Earlier arrests identified three suspects and noted occupations including a taxi driver and a delivery man and garbage collector detained at Charles de Gaulle Airport while allegedly trying to flee to Algeria. The thieves are reported to be locals of Seine-Saint-Denis, and Prosecutor Laure Beccuau described the crime as not typical everyday delinquency and not generally associated with the upper echelons of organized crime.

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