Five More Arrests over Louvre Heist

Five more suspects were arrested on Wednesday night (29 October) in connection with the Louvre heist.

One is believed to be a member of the four-man team that carried out the raid, who was identified through DNA evidence and seen on CCTV footage.

The two suspects arrested earlier (on 25 October) have “partially admitted” their involvement in the crime, according to French investigators.

Napoleonic crown jewels valued at over $100m were stolen on Sunday 19 October just as the museum, in Paris, was opening to visitors.

The thieves used mechanical ladder to reach a second-floor balcony, cut through the display cases with power tools, then escaped on motorbikes.

Laure Beccuau, the public prosecutor in Paris, said there was currently no evidence to suggest the theft was an inside job. None of the those arrested worked at the museum.

The four-man gang who carried out the raid left behind a motorbike helmet which provided a crucial hair sample believed to be linked to one of the suspects, together with multiple DNA samples.

The Louvre, the most-visited museum in the world, has since moved the remaining crown jewels to a vault at the Bank of France.

Source: DCLA

Lab Growns: France Rejects Call to Drop “Synthetic” Label

The French government is standing by its legal requirement that lab grown diamonds carry a “synthetic” label.

Its finance ministry rejected a renewed call, presented by member of parliament Olivia Gregoire (pictured) on behalf of the lab grown lobby.

Gregoire, minister delegate for small and medium-sized enterprises, trade, crafts, and tourism, sought a review of the mandatory label “synthetic diamond,” arguing that the term might unfairly stigmatize lab grown diamonds.

The ministry responded last week, saying it stands by a policy that has been in place since January 2002, designed to prevent consumer confusion and to ensure transparency in the diamond market.

The decision was welcomed by the natural diamond lobby as a victory. The lab grown sector expressed disappointment but acknowledged that the ruling provides regulatory clarity.

Under French law, lab grown diamonds can only be referred to as “diamant de synthese” or “synthetique” – “synthetic diamond” or “synthetic”.

The terms “diamant de laboratoire” and “diamant de culture” – “laboratory diamond” and “cultivated diamond” – are banned.

The rule on synthetics was also challenged, unsuccessfully, in October 2023. French retailers must designate as “synthetic” any stones that were entirely or partly man-made.

The term “laboratory diamond” can only be used for sales and advertising outside France.

Source: DCLA