Five more suspects have been arrested in connection with the daring daytime heist of the French crown jewels from the Louvre Museum, French investigators announced Thursday, though the priceless treasures remain missing.
Police carried out the arrests in separate operations across Paris and neighboring areas, including the Seine-Saint-Denis region, prosecutor Laure Beccuau told RTL radio. The identities of the suspects have not been released.
One of the newly arrested individuals is suspected of being part of the four-person team that stormed the Louvre’s Apollo Gallery in broad daylight on Oct. 19, stealing jewels valued at 88 million euros ($102 million) in less than eight minutes.
“Searches last night and overnight did not allow us to find the goods,” Beccuau said.
Two other members of the team were arrested Sunday and given preliminary charges Wednesday of criminal conspiracy and theft committed by an organized gang. Beccuau said both have at least in part recognized their involvement in the heist.
One suspect, a 34-year-old Algerian national living in France since 2010, was arrested at Charles de Gaulle Airport attempting to flee to Algeria on a one-way ticket. He lived in the northern Paris suburb of Aubervilliers and was previously known to police for traffic violations. His DNA was recovered from a scooter used in the getaway.
The second suspect, 39, was arrested at his home in Aubervilliers. He was known to police for multiple prior thefts. Investigators matched his DNA to a glass display case that held the stolen jewels, as well as to items the thieves left behind, the prosecutor added.
The thieves used a basket lift to scale the museum’s exterior, forced open a window, and used cutting tools to open display cases in the Apollo Gallery. They escaped with eight historic pieces, including:
– A sapphire diadem, necklace, and earring set linked to Queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense
– An emerald necklace and earrings belonging to Empress Marie-Louise, Napoleon’s second wife
– A reliquary brooch
– Empress Eugénie’s diamond diadem and elaborate corsage-bow brooch
Eugénie’s emerald-encrusted crown – set with over 1,300 diamonds – was later found damaged but recoverable outside the museum.
Louvre Director Laurence des Cars acknowledged a “terrible failure” in museum security. However, Beccuau said there is no evidence the theft was an inside job.
In a direct appeal to those holding the missing jewels, Beccuau on Wednesday night warned they are “unsellable” due to their historical significance and urged their return.
“Anyone who buys them would be guilty of concealment of stolen goods,” she said. “There’s still time to give them back.”
