Louvre Museum Heist: Two Suspects Arrested over Crown Jewels Theft

French investigators have arrested two suspects in connection with the brazen theft of eight of France's crown jewels from the Louvre Museum in Paris. The suspects, both in their 30s, were identified by DNA evidence found at the scene and were reportedly attempting to flee the country when arrested. One suspect was caught at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, while the other was preparing to leave for Mali. The stolen jewels, worth an estimated £76m, have not yet been recovered.

Key Takeaways:

• The suspects are allegedly part of a masked gang of burglars who broke into the Louvre Museum in a seven-minute heist last Sunday.
• The gang used a truck-mounted lift and angle grinders to steal eight pieces of historic Napoleonic jewellery, including tiaras, necklaces, and earrings.
• Police recovered 150 DNA samples from the scene, including a scooter helmet, blowtorch, walkie-talkie, yellow vest, and a blanket.
• The investigation is ongoing, with police investigating whether the theft was orchestrated by a traditional crime ring or a network that specializes in art trafficking.
• France's interior minister, Laurent Nunez, has praised the investigators for their work and has vowed to continue the investigation with determination.
• A police station inside the Louvre has been rejected, with Nunez stating that the current police station is sufficient and that installing one inside the museum would set a precedent for other locations.
• Part of the museum's remaining jewellery collection has been transferred to the Bank of France for safekeeping.

Statistics:

• 8 pieces of historic Napoleonic jewellery stolen from the Louvre Museum
• £76m estimated value of the stolen jewels
• 150 DNA samples recovered from the scene
• 2 suspects arrested and in custody
• 1 scooter helmet, blowtorch, and walkie-talkie among the items recovered
• 1 yellow vest and blanket among the items recovered
• 85 feet underground, the vault where the remaining jewellery collection is stored

Sources:

• Le Parisien
• Le Figaro
• Le Monde
• La Tribune Dimanche
• local media reports