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A senior staff member at France’s presidential palace will stand trial over the alleged theft of precious tableware, including Baccarat Champagne glasses and Sèvres porcelain plates.

Around 100 objects that were reported missing from the presidential collection were allegedly later found in the locker, car and home of Thomas M, who is reported to be the Élysée Palace’s chief butler. He will stand trial alongside two others.

Investigators say they found some of the items – thought to be worth between €15,000 and €40,000 (£13,000 and £35,000) – on his Vinted account.

It comes just months after the Louvre Museum in Paris suffered a brazen heist in which jewels worth €88m (£76m) were taken.

French media reported that Thomas M’s role as head butler and argentiers – or keeper of precious silver – involved setting the tables at state dinners and other prestigious events.

He is accused of siphoning off the items over several months and falsifying the records to cover his tracks.

Also among the alleged stolen goods are solid silver cutlery and a René Lalique figurine.

The inventory kept by Thomas M suggested he was planning to steal more goods, prosecutors say.

The Élysée has already posted a job advertisement to find his replacement, according to French media outlet TF1 Info.

Officials at Sèvres – France’s state-owned porcelain factory – also identified some of their items on online auction sites, including a plate embossed with an air force stamp and ashtrays.

Thomas M was arrested on Tuesday 16 December on suspicion of theft, alongside his partner Damien G – a collector and manager of an online auction company.

A third man, Ghislain M, was arrested a day later, accused of receiving stolen goods. His “passion” for rare antiques has been put forward by his lawyer as being behind his alleged involvement.

According to Le Parisen – which first reported on the case – he was working as a guard at the Louvre at the time and has been barred from returning until the trial is completed.

The trial is scheduled for February.

Donald Trump has sparked a renewed disagreement with Denmark after appointing a special envoy to Greenland, the Arctic island he has said he would like to annex.

Trump announced on Sunday that Jeff Landry, the Republican governor of Louisiana, would become the US’s special envoy to Greenland, a semi-autonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

Writing on social media, the US president said Landry understood how “essential Greenland is to our national security” and would advance US interests.

Greenland’s prime minister said the island must “decide our own future” and its “territorial integrity must be respected”.

The move angered Copenhagen, which will call the US ambassador for “an explanation”.

Governor Landry said in a post on X it was an honour to serve in a “volunteer position to make Greenland a part of the United States”, saying the role would not affect his duties as Louisiana governor.

Denmark’s foreign minister, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, described the appointment as “deeply upsetting” and warned Washington to respect Danish sovereignty.

He told Danish broadcaster TV2: “As long as we have a kingdom consisting of Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland, we cannot accept actions that undermine our territorial integrity.”

Greenland’s Prime Minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, said the territory was willing to cooperate with the United States and other countries, but only on the basis of mutual respect.

He said: “The appointment of a special envoy does not change anything for us. We decide our own future. Greenland belongs to Greenlanders, and territorial integrity must be respected.”

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has revived his long-standing interest with Greenland, citing its strategic location and mineral wealth.

He has refused to rule out using force to secure control of the island, a stance that has shocked Denmark, a Nato ally that has traditionally enjoyed close relations with Washington.

Greenland, home to about 57,000 people, has had extensive self-government since 1979, though defence and foreign policy remain in Danish hands. While most Greenlanders favour eventual independence from Denmark, opinion polls show overwhelming opposition to becoming part of the US.

The dispute comes as strategic competition in the Arctic grows, with melting ice opening new shipping routes and increasing access to valuable mineral resources.

Greenland’s location between North America and Europe also makes it central to US and Nato security planning and puts it on the shortest route for missiles between Russia and the United States.