Netflix's 'Lupin' Is a Riff on Maurice Leblanc's Classic 'Gentleman Burglar' The real Arsène is more than 100 years old. Jan 28, 2021 Throughout the U.S. and U.K., the characters most famous for pulling off heists while sporting dapper three-piece suits and ambiguous morals are James Bond and Danny Ocean, both of whom made their pop culture debuts in the mid-1900s. In France, however, that title is easily overtaken by one Arsène Lupin, a gentleman thief who was first introduced by author Maurice Leblanc in 1905. Though he shares a love of exquisite tailoring and skills of seduction with his English-speaking counterparts, Lupin is also witty enough to outsmart Sherlock Holmes (something he did on multiple occasions) and is a master of disguise with the ability to slip in and out of dangerous and high-pressure situations unnoticed.