Elysee Palace silver steward arrested for stealing silverware worth up to US$47,000

Three men will stand trial next year after a silver steward employed at the official residence of the French president was arrested this week for the theft of items of silverware and table service worth thousands of euros, the Paris prosecutor’s office said.\nThe Elysee Palace’s head steward reported the disappearance, with the estimated loss ranging between €15,000 and €40,000 (US$17,500-US$47,000).\nThe Sevres Manufactory – which supplied most of the furnishings – identified several of the missing items on online auction websites.\nQuestioning of Elysee staff led investigators to suspect one of the silver stewards, whose inventory records gave the impression he was planning future thefts.\nInvestigators established that the man was in a relationship with the manager of a company specialising in the online sale of objects, notably tableware. Investigators discovered on his Vinted account a plate stamped “French Air Force” and “Sevres Manufactory” ashtrays that are not available to the general public.\nAround 100 objects were found in the silver steward’s personal locker, his car and home. Among the items recovered were copper saucepans, Sevres porcelain, a Rene Lalique statuette and Baccarat champagne glasses.\nThe two were arrested on Tuesday. Investigators also identified a single receiver of the stolen goods. The recovered items were returned to the Elysee Palace.\nThe three suspects appeared in court on Thursday on charges of jointly stealing movable property listed as part of the national heritage – an offence punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a €150,000 fine, as well as aggravated handling of stolen goods.\nThe trial was postponed to February 26. The defendants were placed under judicial supervision, banned from contacting one another, prohibited from appearing at auction venues and barred from their professional activities.\n