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Haute couture: six suspects arrested for the theft of the Balmain collection
Haute couture: six suspects arrested for the theft of the Balmain collection – (France 2)
In September 2023, unique pieces from the Balmain collection were stolen by armed men. Six suspects were arrested after five months of investigation.
Six suspects wanted to attack Balmain, one of the most prestigious French fashion houses. On September 16, 2023, the Balmain collection from New York (United States) arrives at Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle airport. On board an unmarked van, the precious cargo, worth 500,000 euros, leaves the area for Paris. On a motorway ramp, the van was hit by a gray Renault which was following closely.
Unique pieces impossible to resell
Three men, hooded and armed, push the driver of the van to the ground and rob him. The express robbery lasted less than two minutes. Olivier Rousteing, artistic director of Balmain, learned the news ten days before his show. After five months of investigation, six suspects were arrested in January 2024 using telephone calls. The pieces, created for single use, were impossible to sell. For violent theft, the six defendants face a sentence of seven years in prison and a fine of 100,000 euros.
