A worker at the Louve tipped off the chainsaw-wielding thieves who boosted $100 million worth of France’s crown jewels, according to French detectives, who now believe the daring heist was an inside job.
Digital forensic evidence showed a member of security at the Louvre was in contact with individuals thought to be the perpetrators prior to the brazen daylight robbery on Oct.19, the Telegraph reported Saturday.
“There is digital forensic evidence that shows there was co-operation with one of the museum’s security guards and the thieves,” a source told the Telegraph.
“Sensitive information was passed on about the museum’s security, which is how they were aware of the breach.”
The daring thieves were able to get in and out of the museum in mere minutes using a second-floor balcony that was not recorded by security cameras — and made off on scooters with eight pieces of France’s crown jewels.
Though investigators are apparently closing in on the burglars, they are not optimistic about recovering the jewels, which have likely been broken up for sale, that outlet reported.
A wealthy collector could be responsible for orchestrating the entire operation, one Parisian prosecutor claimed.
“We’re looking at the hypothesis of organized crime,” Laure Beccuau told BFM TV, adding that the group could be professional criminals commissioned by a scheming collector.
Just hours after the massive heist, 2,000 gold and silver coins — worth more than $100,000 — were swiped from the sieve-like museum.
The Louvre’s director, Laurence des Cars, was called in front of the French Senate on Saturday where she offered her resignation.
In the wake of the shocking robbery, the most precious national jewels stored at the Louvre were transferred to the Bank of France.
The loot that was stolen included a sapphire diadem, necklace and a single earring from a set linked to 19th-century Queens Marie-Amelie and Hortense.
Heisters also absconded with an emerald necklace and earrings tied to Empress Marie-Louise, Napoleon Bonaparte’s second wife.
Empress Eugenie’s diamond diadem and her corsage-bow brooch were also boosted.
Egunie’s emerald-set imperial crown, which contains more than 1,300 diamonds, was later found outside the museum in a damaged, but recoverable, state.
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