#jewelry-theft

#jewelry-theft

Laure Beccuau, the lead prosecutor in the recent Louvre case involving the theft of more than $100 million worth of historic jewelry, suggested in an interview on French news channel BFMTV this week that the job could be the work of organized crime or commissioned by a major "sponsor." But lawyer Christopher Marinello, founder and CEO of Art Recovery International, a London and Venice-based group specializing in tracking down stolen works of art, dismisses the latter Hollywood scenario.

The facts here outline an incredibly audacious scheme to purchase real jewelry—and hugely expensive jewelry at that—with phony money, which eventually came undone through thorough, tenacious work by Boston police detectives.

Empress Fine Jewels, run by Shuwan Li, faced bankruptcy with debts of €1.5m and was involved in legal issues over stolen rings worth nearly €35,000.

Owner Rosanna Meza's brothers discovered the safes open and most of the inventory missing when they arrived at Meza's Jewelry on Sunday morning. The burglars stole approximately $1.5 million in jewelry, leaving only some 10 karat gold chains behind. The store lacked insurance to cover the loss, compounding the impact of the theft.

"On arrival, they encountered a suspect and he fled the scene on foot. He was observed entering St. Stephen's Green park and pursued by Gardaí on foot."