Swiss Authorities Urged to Bar British Brothers from Entering the Country Following Museum Robbery

Two British brothers, Stewart and Louis Ahearne, have admitted their involvement in the theft of Chinese Ming Dynasty artifacts from a museum in Geneva. Prosecutors have asked the court to ban the brothers from Switzerland for five years and sentence them to four years in jail. The prosecutor stated that the brothers and a third man, Daniel Kelly, were all equally involved in the crime. Louis Ahearne conducted reconnaissance of the museum while Stewart Ahearne rented a car and drove to and from the crime scene. The stolen artifacts included two bowls and a vase, with one bowl being taken to a Hong Kong auction house and sold by the three men. The vase was later recovered in London through an undercover operation. The third stolen item, a wine cup, has not been found. The heist caused extensive damage to the museum, estimated at 3.5 million Swiss francs. The brothers claimed their involvement was driven by personal reasons, but the prosecution doubts their account. The court also heard from a representative of the museum who highlighted the significant damage caused by the burglary. The hearing is ongoing, and the judge's verdict is yet to be delivered.