A cousin of one of the suspected robbers in the Louvre heist has spoken out in an interview with ABC News. The man, identified as Mehdy, told ABC News' James Longman on "Impact x Nightline" that his cousin was a low-income worker who sold fruit and had children. Four suspects have been arrested in connection with the heist, which occurred on October 19 when robbers used a cherry picker and angle grinder to steal nine pieces of jewelry worth an estimated $102 million from the Louvre's Apollo Gallery. One suspect remains at large, and a crown belonging to Empress Eugénie was later recovered outside the museum.
The case matters because it highlights serious security deficiencies at one of the world's most famous museums. Louvre director Laurence des Cars acknowledged that alarms functioned properly but described the museum's security systems as "very inadequate" and "outdated." A French national audit found that recommended security upgrades are not expected to be completed until 2032. The theft has also struck a nerve in France, with Mehdy expressing that the robbery hurts French heritage and national pride. The remaining eight stolen artifacts have not yet been recovered.