French authorities have arrested two suspects in connection with last weekend’s audacious daylight robbery of France’s crown jewels from the Louvre Museum in Paris, prosecutors confirmed on Thursday evening.
According to the Paris prosecutor’s office, the men were taken into custody near the French capital after an intensive manhunt that began following the theft, which stunned both the public and museum officials. One of the suspects was detained at around 10 p.m. local time at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport, as he allegedly attempted to board a flight bound for Algeria.
The daring heist unfolded last weekend when thieves reportedly used a crane to break into an upper floor of the Louvre, smashing a window to access the section housing the French crown jewels. The intruders seized eight priceless pieces before making their getaway on motorbikes through the streets of Paris.
Among the treasures stolen were an emerald-and-diamond necklace once gifted by Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte to his wife, Empress Marie-Louise, and a diamond-studded diadem that belonged to Empress Eugénie, adorned with nearly 2,000 precious stones. The combined value of the missing items is estimated at $102 million.
A ninth object — the diamond and emerald-encrusted crown of Empress Eugénie — was recovered shortly after the robbery, having been dropped by the thieves during their escape. However, authorities have yet to locate any of the other missing jewels.
French newspaper Le Parisien, which first reported the arrests, said both suspects are in their 30s and originally from Seine-Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris known for its high poverty rates and history of criminal activity. The men were reportedly known to law enforcement prior to the heist.
The Louvre, one of the world’s most visited museums and home to masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo, has faced major security challenges in recent years amid rising theft attempts targeting its historic collections. The museum has not commented publicly on how the thieves managed to breach its extensive security systems.
Authorities are continuing their investigation, working to trace the whereabouts of the stolen jewels and determine whether the suspects were part of a larger criminal network.
For now, the recovery of the Empress’s crown offers a glimmer of hope that more of France’s royal treasures may eventually be found and returned to their rightful place.
