French Police Arrest Two Suspects in Daring Louvre Heist

 

By Oriontimes European Desk

Paris, France — French authorities have arrested two suspects in connection with the audacious theft of royal jewels worth an estimated €88 million from the Louvre Museum in Paris.

The suspects, both in their 30s, were apprehended on Saturday, one at Charles de Gaulle Airport while attempting to board a flight to Algeria, and the other in the Seine-Saint-Denis suburb of Paris. According to the Paris Prosecutor, Laure Beccuau, the men are known to police for prior robbery-related offenses.

The heist, which stunned the world on October 19, took place inside the Louvre’s iconic Galerie d’Apollon, home to France’s crown jewels. The thieves reportedly posed as maintenance workers, used a stolen truck with a lift to gain access through a window, smashed display cases, and fled the scene within minutes on motorbikes.

Although the arrests mark a major breakthrough in the investigation, authorities say the stolen treasures have not yet been recovered, and several other accomplices remain at large. More than a hundred investigators are currently working on the case.

Preliminary findings have also exposed worrying lapses in museum security, revealing that one-third of the rooms in the targeted area lacked surveillance cameras. The revelation has sparked national debate over France’s ability to protect its priceless cultural heritage.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez praised the swift police response but acknowledged that the operation highlights deeper systemic failures in museum security.

The Louvre heist is already being compared to some of Europe’s most infamous art thefts, drawing global attention to the underworld of cultural property trafficking.

As investigations continue, authorities have appealed for public cooperation and cautioned against media speculation that could compromise ongoing efforts to recover the jewels.