Five new arrests have been made in the investigation into the Louvre jewellery heist, the Paris prosecutor has confirmed. The arrests were reported on Thursday by French radio station RTL, following an interview with Laure Beccuau. The Paris prosecutor's department posted the interview on social media with the caption: Louvre burglary: Five new suspects apprehended.
The latest arrests follow remarks from a prosecutor earlier in the week stating that two previously detained suspects had partially admitted to taking part in the robbery.
The Louvre Museum heist
The theft took place on the morning of October 19. During the busy hours, the thieves reached the jewel gallery near windows facing the street, cut through reinforced display cases and disappeared within minutes. Former bank robber David Desclos told AP that the operation was executed in a textbook manner and that the layout of the gallery revealed clear vulnerabilities.
French officials said the intruders used a basket lift to scale the Louvre facade, forced open a window, smashed the display cases and fled. The museum’s director described the incident as a terrible failure.
Stolen jewels
The thieves took eight objects valued at around 88 million euros, or 102 million dollars. Among them were a sapphire diadem, a necklace and a single earring associated with queens Marie Amélie and Hortense of the nineteenth century. They also stole an emerald necklace and earrings linked to Empress Marie Louise, the second wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, along with a reliquary brooch. In addition, Empress Eugénie’s diamond diadem and her large corsage bow brooch, noted for their intricate craftsmanship, were taken.
One recovery
One piece, Empress Eugénie’s emerald set imperial crown adorned with more than one thousand three hundred diamonds, was later found outside the museum. It was damaged but is considered capable of being restored. The thieves moved in and out in less than eight minutes, taking items considered part of the cultural heritage of France. The loss has been described by some observers as deeply symbolic, drawing comparisons to the emotional impact of the Notre Dame Cathedral fire in 2019.
Also read: Paris Police arrests suspects behind daring Louvre crown jewel heist
