Louvre denies tapping Israeli firm in theft probe

A set of jewelry worn by Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense is displayed at the Louvre's Apollo Gallery on Jan. 14, 2020. (Stephane de Sakutin/AFP/Getty Images via CNN Newsource)

The Louvre museum on Monday denied having contacted an Israeli intelligence firm to investigate after an audacious jewel heist at the French institution.

CGI Group, based in Tel Aviv, told AFP the world-famous museum had asked for help because of its past success recovering stolen artefacts from a German museum in 2019.

“The Louvre exceptionally asked us to uncover the identity of people involved in the theft and to retrieve the stolen artefacts,” CGI Group CEO Zvika Naveh told AFP.

But a museum representative refuted the statement however. “The Louvre management denies it,” the museum said, without further comment.

Asked for clarification, Naveh said the request had come “via an intermediary acting on behalf of the Louvre and other entities, including insurance companies”.

The Louvre management insisted however that it had not “contacted anyone”.

French police are hunting four thieves who stole nine pieces of priceless jewellery after breaking into the Louvre on Sunday. One piece -- a crown covered in more than 1,000 diamonds -- was dropped as they fled.

The 2019 robbery at Dresden’s Green Vault museum saw the theft of 18th-century jewels worth 113 million euros (US$132 million).

The stolen jewels, insured for more than 113 million euros, were partly returned by the five criminals convicted for the theft.

Contacted by AFP at the time, the Dresden State Art Collections denied any co-operation with the Israeli firm.

CGI Group CEO Zvika Naveh told AFP that the Louvre and the Dresden museums “can say whatever they want,” but insisted that his company had been contacted on behalf of both museums.

Refusing to give details for reasons of “confidentiality,” he said the request could have been made by “the insurance company, the insurance company’s lawyer, any entity connected to the museum — it could even be a ministry.”

“Each party has a different interest. The museum’s interest is not the same as that of the insurance company... or of the security company, which made mistakes,” he added.

“Some people have an interest in bringing this story out, and others have an interest in denying it... of course, the French police don’t like the fact that we, as an Israeli private firm, were tasked with the investigation,” he said.