Five additional individuals have been apprehended by authorities in connection with the theft of precious crown jewels from the Louvre Museum. Despite these arrests, the stolen treasures have yet to be recovered.
According to Prosecutor Laure Beccuau, police conducted separate operations in Paris and its environs to capture the five suspects. The identities of these individuals have not been disclosed at this time.
Among the apprehended suspects, one is believed to have been a member of the group responsible for the daylight heist at the Louvre on October 19. Two other alleged accomplices were previously arrested and charged with criminal conspiracy and organized theft. Both of them have reportedly confessed to their involvement.
Despite ongoing investigations, the missing jewels have not been located. Prosecutor Beccuau stated that recent searches failed to yield any results in recovering the stolen items.
The theft of the jewels, valued at around £78 million, was executed swiftly in less than eight minutes. The thieves broke into the museum through a window, used power tools to access the cases, and absconded with eight pieces of the French crown jewels.
One of the charged individuals is a 34-year-old Algerian national residing in France since 2010. He was arrested at Charles de Gaulle airport while attempting to depart for Algeria without a return ticket. Authorities linked his DNA to one of the scooters used during the escape.
Another suspect, aged 39, was apprehended at his residence in Aubervilliers. Known to law enforcement for previous thefts, his DNA was found on the glass cases housing the stolen jewels and on discarded items left by the perpetrators.
Video footage revealed the involvement of at least four criminals in the heist. The group arrived in a truck equipped with a lift, allowing two individuals to access the museum through a window.
The criminals escaped on two scooters along the Seine River towards eastern Paris, where additional vehicles were parked. Prosecutor Beccuau mentioned that there is no evidence suggesting any collaboration between the thieves and museum staff.
In a public statement, Beccuau urged anyone in possession of the stolen jewels to return them, emphasizing that the items are unsellable. She warned that purchasing or possessing the stolen goods would constitute a criminal offense.
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