 "A man, identified by officials as Abdoulaye N, was arrested at his home in Aubervilliers, a suburb north of Paris. File image/AFP")
The world-famous Louvre Museum in Paris made headlines after eight pieces of the French Crown Jewels, worth more than $100 million, were stolen in broad daylight from its renowned Apollo Gallery last month.
Now, one of the men accused of pulling off this daring heist has turned out to be an unlikely suspect, a social media influencer known for his motorbike stunts and passion for off-road racing.
According to reports in the French media, the man, identified by officials as Abdoulaye N, was arrested at his home in Aubervilliers, a suburb north of Paris, shocking residents for whom the 39-year-old was a biking legend and one who wore his heart on his sleeves.
So, how did Abdoulaye N end up linked to one of the most audacious jewellery heists in French history? Here’s a closer look
Who is Abdoulaye N?
Abdoulaye N, better known online as Doudou Cross Bitume, is a familiar name in the streets of Aubervilliers, a Paris suburb where he’s seen as something of a local legend.
A skilled motorbike rider turned social media personality, Doudou built his reputation years ago for his daring stunts and signature catchphrase, “Toujours plus près du bitume” (“Always closer to the tarmac”). Though it’s been 16 years since he stopped professional racing, the phrase stuck, earning him his now-famous nickname.
Over the years, he’s shared countless videos on YouTube, and more recently on TikTok and Instagram. Some clips show him performing motorbike tricks across Paris and near the Stade de France, while others capture him bodybuilding or teaching young locals how to ride. He also worked for the logistics firm UPS, Toys R Us and as a security guard at the Pompidou Centre art museum.
Respected in his community, Doudou is described as a married man with children and a helping hand to those around him. “He grew up here and he’s a legend for an entire generation,” Ahmad, a 42-year-old resident, told Le Parisien.
Another neighbour, Samia, spoke of him fondly: “I just can’t believe it was him. It isn’t like him at all. He wears his heart on his sleeve. He’s very obliging, always ready to help neighbours who can’t carry their bags of shopping.”
But now, the once-popular rider finds himself at the centre of the high-profile investigation. According to French media, Abdoulaye N’s DNA was reportedly found on one of the display cases and on items abandoned at the scene, including gloves, a hi-vis vest, and disc cutters, linking him to the daring gallery break-in.
“I knew he had been in prison, but from that to robbing the Louvre, I’m flabbergasted,” a shocked resident, who declined to give his name said. “He isn’t a hoodlum. It wasn’t an armed robbery. He’s really nice. When we go on holiday, he keeps an eye on our flat.”
Also read: Will arrest of 2 men in Louvre Museum heist help in recovering stolen jewels?
Abdoulaye N has a past criminal record
Abdoulaye N, now at the centre of the Louvre heist investigation, isn’t a stranger to the police.
According to several French media outlets, he has a criminal record with 15 offences, ranging from possession and transportation of drugs to driving without a licence and endangering others. He was also convicted of robbing a jewellery store in 2014.
In fact, Abdoulaye had been due to appear in court this Wednesday, though for a much smaller matter. The charges related to breaking a mirror and damaging a cell door while in prison back in 2019 during a separate theft probe, from which he was later cleared, AP reported.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said the suspect has said little to police but has “partially admitted” to taking part in the Louvre robbery. He faces charges of organised theft and criminal conspiracy.
Louvre heist suspects were ‘amateurs’
Four suspects are currently in custody over the brazen daylight theft, including three believed to be part of the four-man gang that used a stolen truck fitted with an extendable ladder and freight lift to reach a first-floor window of the Louvre’s Apollo Gallery.
Once inside, two men smashed an unsecured window and shattered two glass display cases, while the other two waited below on motorbikes. Within just seven minutes, they were gone, disappearing with eight priceless jewels, including an emerald and diamond necklace gifted by Napoleon I to his second wife, Marie Louise, and a pearl-and-diamond diadem that once belonged to Napoleon III’s wife.
Investigators believe the thieves may have been amateurs, given that they dropped the most valuable item, the crown of Empress Eugénie, while fleeing. They also left behind a trail of evidence, including a helmet, tools and other items carrying possible DNA traces.
Like the others, Abdoulaye N is thought to be a low-level criminal, a petty thief with no strong links to organised crime. However, detectives suspect the gang may have been acting under orders from a more powerful figure.
In total, three men and one woman, the partner of one of the suspects, have been detained. All three men already had prior records for theft and traffic violations, which helped police identify them through the national DNA database.
Experts have been raising concerns about the museum’s security for more than a decade, according to a report by French newspaper Liberation that reviewed confidential documents.
For example, in 2014, the museum’s video surveillance server password was “LOUVRE,” while a software program provided by the company Thales was secured with a password “THALES.”
The suspects in custody are under pressure to reveal the identities of the presumed mastermind and tell investigators what they know about the whereabouts of the stolen jewels, which have not been found.
Detectives fear they may have been dismantled or melted down so they can be sold, and possibly taken out of the country.
With input from agencies