A viral photo of a mysterious "fedora man" at the scene of the recent Louvre heist sparked wild online speculation—was he a detective, an accomplice, or even a digital fake? The truth is more everyday: he's a 15-year-old from the Paris suburbs with a fondness for vintage fashion and detective stories who just happened to be in the right place at the right time, the BBC reports. The figure in question, seen lingering outside the museum on the day of the theft, quickly became an internet sensation as theories swirled about his identity. (Meanwhile, police cracked the actual case thanks to careless DNA left behind by the thieves, and the museum's director conceded that the Louvre's security cameras had been insufficient.)
The viral teen, identified as Pedro Elias Garzon Delvaux of Rambouillet, told the Associated Press he had simply shown up that day with his family, unaware the museum was closed due to the heist. As he inquired about the closure, an AP photographer snapped a picture, and Pedro's distinct attire—a fedora and waistcoat inspired by his fictional heroes Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot—did the rest. Pedro only learned of his unexpected fame days later, when a friend sent him a screenshot of the viral photo, which had racked up millions of views on TikTok.
The moment hit home when his mother spotted his image in the New York Times—a paper Pedro, an avid reader, holds in high regard. Asked about his sartorial choices, Pedro said he likes to "be chic," and even wears similar outfits to school, a habit he says has started to spread among his friends. As internet theories about his identity multiplied, Pedro opted for silence, savoring the mystery. "I didn't want to say immediately it was me," he explains. "With this photo there is a mystery, so you have to make it last. ... People had to try to find who I am."
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