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Arrests Made in $102 Million Louvre Heist as Stolen Crown Jewels Still Missing [WATCH]

French authorities have arrested five additional suspects in connection with the October 19 theft of French crown jewels from the Louvre Museum, as investigators continue searching for the missing artifacts valued at $102 million, as reported by Fox News.

Prosecutor Laure Beccuau announced Thursday that the arrests were made in separate police operations across Paris and surrounding regions, including Seine-Saint-Denis. The suspects’ identities have not been made public.

One of those detained is believed to be part of the four-person crew that carried out the daylight heist inside the Louvre’s Apollo Gallery. “Searches last night and overnight did not allow us to find the goods,” Beccuau told RTL radio.

The thieves stole eight historic pieces in less than eight minutes, including an emerald necklace and earrings once owned by Empress Marie-Louise, a reliquary brooch, and Empress Eugénie’s diamond diadem and jeweled corsage bow.

Empress Eugénie’s crown, set with more than 1,300 diamonds and emeralds, was recovered outside the museum but was found damaged.

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Two of the suspects had already been arrested earlier in the week and charged on Wednesday with criminal conspiracy and theft by an organized gang. Beccuau said both suspects partially admitted to taking part in the robbery.

One of them, a 34-year-old Algerian national living in France since 2010, was arrested at Charles de Gaulle Airport while attempting to board a one-way flight to Algeria.

Investigators said his DNA was found on a scooter used in the getaway. The man, who lived in Aubervilliers, had previous police records for traffic offenses.

The second suspect, a 39-year-old French national, was detained at his home in the same suburb. He had prior convictions for theft and was identified after forensic teams matched his DNA to a display case and other evidence left behind in the museum.

According to investigators, the suspects used a basket lift to scale the museum’s outer wall, forced open a window, and used cutting tools to remove the display glass before taking the jewels.

Louvre Director Laurence des Cars described the theft as a “terrible failure” in museum security. Beccuau said, however, that no evidence currently points to an inside collaboration.

The prosecutor issued a public appeal Wednesday night, urging the return of the jewels, emphasizing that their historical and cultural significance makes them impossible to sell.

“Anyone who buys them would be guilty of concealment of stolen goods,” Beccuau said. “There’s still time to give them back.”

The investigation remains ongoing as police continue to track the whereabouts of the stolen treasures, considered among the most valuable artifacts in France’s national collection.


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