Louvre museum heist: Five more arrested, including key suspect; stolen jewellery still missing

French authorities have arrested five additional individuals, including the prime suspect, in connection with this month's high-profile jewellery theft at the Louvre Museum, Paris prosecutors announced on Thursday (October 30). Laure Beccuau, the Paris prosecutor, confirmed that DNA evidence connected the main suspect to the October 19 robbery, which involved a team of four thieves. Despite the arrests, none of the stolen jewellery, valued at approximately $102 million, has been recovered.

Beccuau said that the investigation is ongoing, and while it is still early, the suspects in custody could provide critical insights into the heist's details. The arrests took place on Wednesday in various locations around Paris, especially in the Seine-Saint-Denis area. Two suspects who were detained earlier over the weekend have been charged with theft and criminal conspiracy. They partially confessed to their involvement and are now in pre-trial detention.

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The heist, carried out by a group of four thieves, involved using a truck with a hydraulic lift and cutting tools to break into the museum's first-floor gallery. Among the stolen items were priceless pieces, including an emerald-and-diamond necklace originally given by Napoleon I to his wife, Empress Marie-Louise, and a diamond-encrusted diadem once owned by Empress Eugenie, featuring nearly 2,000 diamonds.

How did Louvre museum heist unfolded?

According to reports, the gang arrived around 9:30 am local time, just after the museum opened to the public. Four suspects used a vehicle equipped with a mechanical lift to reach the Galerie d'Apollon (Gallery of Apollo) via a balcony overlooking the River Seine. Photos from the scene showed a ladder positioned against a first-floor window. Two members of the group gained entry by cutting through the window with power tools.

Once inside, they threatened the security guards, prompting an evacuation, and then broke through the glass of two display cases holding valuable jewels. A preliminary investigation cited by French media revealed that roughly one-third of the rooms in the targeted area lacked CCTV coverage. Police said the thieves were inside for only four minutes before fleeing on two scooters waiting outside, leaving the scene at 9:38 am.