The German newspaper Bild reported that the perpetrators of the October robbery at the Louvre in Paris attempted to sell the stolen valuables on the dark web. This was stated to the publication by Zvika Naveh, head of the Israeli security firm CGI Group.
According to him, five days after the robbery, a person claiming to be the robbers' intermediary contacted the company through its official website. He inquired whether the company was willing to negotiate the purchase of the artworks on the dark web and demanded a response within 24 hours.
As Nave explained, CGI Group had previously been hired by an anonymous individual with ties to the Louvre to recover stolen jewelry. The security firm accepted the intermediary's offer. After a series of negotiations and investigations, it was discovered that the contact was in possession of at least some of the stolen items.
The director of CGI Group reported that the company had informed the relevant authorities in Paris, but bureaucratic delays prevented the return of the works of art.
As a reminder, on the morning of October 19, criminals broke into the Louvre's Apollo Gallery and stole nine pieces of jewelry. French authorities had previously reported an increased threat of crime against museums and churches.
