Louvre Jewellery heist: Five new arrests made from Paris

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Paris: Five new arrests have been made in the investigation into the Louvre jewellery heist, the Paris prosecutor has confirmed.

They were arrested on Wednesday night in the Paris region, Laure Beccuau’s office said.

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 come days after two men, accused of breaking into the museum through an upstairs window, were taken into custody over the weekend. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said the pair had “partially admitted” their role in the theft during interrogation.

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Authorities continue to search for the missing jewels, while investigators probe whether the suspects were part of a larger network. Beccuau said on Wednesday that she did not rule out the involvement of a mastermind who may have ordered the theft.

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.

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 piece, Empress Eugénie’s emerald set imperial crown adorned with more than one thousand three hundred diamonds, was later found outside the museum.

Also Read: Paris’ Louvre Museum Closes After Robbery

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