Police have apprehended five additional individuals in connection with the theft of valuable crown jewels from the renowned Louvre Museum. Despite these arrests, the whereabouts of the stolen treasures remain unknown.
According to Prosecutor Laure Beccuau, law enforcement carried out operations in Paris and its environs to capture the suspects on Wednesday evening. The identities of the individuals have not been disclosed at this time.
Among the five detainees, one is believed to have participated in the daring robbery at the Louvre on October 19, alongside a team of four. Two others from the same group were taken into custody earlier and charged with criminal conspiracy and organized theft. Both confessed to their involvement.
Even with the ongoing investigation, the missing jewels have yet to be recovered. Prosecutor Beccuau stated that recent searches have not yielded any leads on the stolen items.
The heist, which lasted less than eight minutes, saw thieves abscond with jewels valued around £78 million. The perpetrators broke into the museum through a window, used power tools to access the cases, and escaped with eight pieces of the French crown jewels.
One of the accused suspects, a 34-year-old Algerian national residing in France since 2010, was seized at Charles de Gaulle airport as he prepared to depart for Algeria without a return ticket. He has a history of minor offenses and was linked to the crime scene through DNA evidence on a scooter used in the getaway.
Another suspect, aged 39, was arrested at his residence in Aubervilliers and is known to authorities for previous theft-related incidents. His DNA was found on the display cases and discarded items left by the robbers at the scene.
Surveillance footage indicated that at least four individuals were involved in the operation. The culprits arrived in a truck equipped with a lift, which two of them used to access the museum’s window.
Prosecutor Beccuau emphasized that the thieves departed on scooters along the Seine River towards eastern Paris, where additional vehicles were stationed. She confirmed that no evidence suggests any collusion with museum staff.
In a plea to potential possessors of the stolen jewels, Beccuau warned that the items are unsellable, and acquiring them would constitute a criminal offense. She urged for the return of the stolen goods before further legal actions are taken.