Switzerland Bans Brothers from UK following Museum Robbery

Two British brothers, Stewart and Louis Ahearne, have been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail after pleading guilty to breaking into a Geneva museum and stealing valuable 14th century Chinese Ming Dynasty antiques. The court also banned them from visiting Switzerland for five years each. The Ahearne brothers admitted to being part of a gang of three who carried out the raid at the Museum of Far Eastern Art in June 2019. The judge found them guilty of aggravated theft and ordered them to pay 15,000 Swiss francs ($17,400; £13,770) in damages to the Baur Foundation, which manages the museum. The court heard that the raid caused about 3.5 million Swiss francs ($4 million; £3.2 million) worth of damage to the museum using a power saw, sledgehammer, and crowbar. The third member of the gang was named in court as Daniel Kelly. The prosecutor described the burglary as a well-organized operation, with Louis Ahearne carrying out reconnaissance of the museum and Stewart Ahearne renting a car for the crime. Two of the stolen items, a bowl and a vase, were recovered, but a wine cup remains missing. The Ahearne brothers apologized for their actions before their sentencing, expressing regret and acknowledging the support of their family.