French authorities have arrested two suspects in connection with the high-profile theft of France’s crown jewels from Paris’ Louvre Museum, officials confirmed on Sunday. The arrests come a week after the dramatic heist, in which thieves made off with royal artifacts worth an estimated 88 million euros (102 million dollars), leaving the world’s most-visited museum reeling. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said the arrests were made on Saturday evening, though she did not confirm whether any of the stolen jewels had been recovered. The investigation, led by a special police unit handling armed robberies and art thefts, remains ongoing.
How the suspects were traced: What we know
According to a police official, both men — in their 30s and known to law enforcement — were taken into custody after investigators analyzed extensive forensic evidence collected from the scene. One suspect was identified through DNA traces found among the 150 samples examined by forensics teams. The other was intercepted at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport as he attempted to board a flight bound for Algeria, authorities said. The suspects can be held in custody for up to 96 hours as questioning continues.Fingerprints at the crime scene and objects that the thieves left behind, including power tools, gloves and a motorcycle helmet, were also examined. Beccuau also said investigators had analyzed video surveillance footage to track the thieves’ escape, although she did not provide details on the route they took.Prosecutor Beccuau praised the work of over 100 investigators mobilized for the case but criticized premature leaks that, she warned, could jeopardize recovery efforts.”The amount of media coverage this organized robbery has received gives me a glimmer of hope that the perpetrators won’t dare to move the jewelry too far,” Beccuau told NYT. “And that we’ll be able to find it if we act quickly.”The arrests mark a major breakthrough for French investigators, who are racing to recover the jewels before the thieves can dismantle the pieces and sell or melt down their rare stones and precious metals — a fate many experts fear.
The heist
Last Sunday morning, thieves used a basket lift to scale the Louvre’s façade, forced open a window, and smashed display cases — escaping in under eight minutes with eight royal treasures. The stolen collection included a sapphire diadem, an emerald necklace, and Empress Eugénie’s diamond brooch. One piece — Eugénie’s emerald-set imperial crown — was later recovered outside the museum, damaged but repairable. French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez hailed the arrests as “a vital step forward,” commending investigators for their “tireless” efforts to reclaim the nation’s cultural heritage. The Louvre, which reopened earlier this week, continues to bolster security amid what experts are calling one of the most audacious museum thefts in recent memory.
