Louvre heist suspects have admitted involvement in jewels theft
UPDATE (4:03 a.m.): Five new suspects are under arrest, but still no sign of the looted jewels. There are now sevel total suspects arrested.
Of the five new suspects, one is believed to have been part of the four-man gang who carried out the heist, Laure Beccuau, the prosecutor, told French radio RTL.
Police have now arrested three of the four men they believe participated directly in the heist, disguising themselves as construction workers to steal the artifacts.
The latest arrests took place Wednesday night in Paris and in the surrounding region, including in Seine-Saint-Denis.
Originally Published: 29 OCT 25 12:28 ET
Updated: 30 OCT 25 02:56 ET
By Saskya Vandoorne, Lauren Kent, CNN
Paris (CNN) — Two suspects arrested in connection with the theft of France’s crown jewels from the Louvre museum have admitted involvement in the heist and have been remanded in custody, the Paris prosecutor’s office said on Wednesday.
The Paris prosecutor also said the stolen jewels are not in the authorities’ possession.
Both suspects were presented before an investigative judge on Wednesday and placed under formal investigation for organized theft and criminal conspiracy, according to Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccuau.
The heist – a brazen, seven-minute daylight raid on the Louvre’s Apollo Gallery – captured the world’s attention after thieves escaped with jewels worth tens of millions.
The two men were arrested Saturday evening and held in custody, where they were questioned for 96 hours.
Police arrested a third suspect in the Paris region on Wednesday evening, CNN affiliate BFM TV reported on Thursday, citing sources. That suspect was in police custody, the report said.
The first suspect, 34, is of Algerian nationality. He had prior records for traffic-related offenses and was identified through DNA recovered from one of the scooters.
The second suspect, 39, is an illegal taxi driver and delivery driver born in Aubervilliers, a suburb of Paris. He was previously known to police for aggravated theft. His DNA was found on glass that had been broken from one of the display cases, according to prosecutors.
“There is nothing to suggest that the four perpetrators benefited from any form of inside help within the museum,” Beccuau. said in a Wednesday news conference.
The crime of theft as part of an organized gang carries a potential 15-year prison sentence and a heavy fine, the prosecutor said.
More than 100 investigators have been involved in the manhunt, and authorities were able to track down the individuals after analyzing more than 150 DNA samples and examining several items the group left behind, such as gloves, a helmet and high-vis jackets left at the scene.
One of the men was arrested at Charles de Gaulle Airport as he attempted to leave the country. He was stopped during a passport check before he could board an evening flight to Algeria.
The stolen jewels – among them an emerald necklace set with more than 1,000 diamonds gifted by Napoleon to his second wife – were not recovered during the arrests.
The thieves raided the Apollo Gallery on the Louvre’s upper floor, which houses the French Crown Jewels, on October 19. They used a truck-mounted ladder to gain access to the gallery, one of the most ornate rooms in the museum, through a window. They broke into two high-security display cases and made off with nine items, including a diamond and sapphire jewelry set worn by Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense.
The jewelry taken from the museum is estimated to be worth 88 million euros ($102 million).
“I’d like to keep the hope that they will be found and could be returned to the Louvre museum and the nation,” Beccuau added. “These jewels are now unsellable. Anyone who buys them would be guilty of the offence of handling stolen goods. There is still time to return them.”
CNN’s Niamh Kennedy contributed to this report. This story has been updated with additional developments.
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