French authorities have dramatically widened the investigation into the brazen daytime theft of crown jewels from the Louvre Museum, announcing the arrest of five new suspects. The latest detentions bring the total number of people in custody to seven, though the estimated €88 million ($102 million) worth of priceless treasures remains unrecovered.
The arrests were made on Wednesday night across Paris and the surrounding Seine-Saint-Denis department, according to Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccuau. Speaking on Thursday, Ms. Beccuau confirmed that one of the new detainees is a primary suspect, linked by DNA evidence to the audacious raid that stunned the nation on October 19, 2025.
“We had him in our sights,” Ms. Beccuau said of the key suspect, indicating the progress made by investigators. She stressed, however, that the recent arrests “did not help us find the stolen goods.”
DNA Trail and Getaway
The five detentions follow the earlier arrests of two men over the weekend, who were subsequently charged on Wednesday with “organised theft” and “criminal conspiracy.” These two suspects—a 34-year-old Algerian national and a 39-year-old man from Aubervilliers—are believed to have been among the four-man team seen on surveillance footage. Prosecutors confirmed the pair have “partially admitted” their involvement in the heist. One was apprehended at Charles de Gaulle Airport as he attempted to board a flight to Algeria without a return ticket.
The original four-minute raid saw the thieves use a stolen truck fitted with a mechanical lift to gain access to the Apollo Gallery via a first-floor window just minutes after the museum opened. They used power tools to cut into display cases and fled along the Seine river on motor scooters with eight pieces of the French crown jewels, including historical items once belonging to Empresses Marie-Louise and Eugénie.
Security Failures Exposed
The high-profile crime has shone a harsh light on the security protocols at the world’s most-visited museum. Paris Police Chief Patrice Faure previously told lawmakers that the theft exposed serious weaknesses in the Louvre’s outdated security systems, which still rely on analogue technology.
He admitted a “technological step has not been taken”, with a major security modernisation project not expected to be completed until 2029–2030.
Investigators are continuing to pursue leads but have not ruled out the possibility of a wider network, including a potential mastermind who commissioned the robbery. Experts fear the jewels, which are internationally recognisable, could be melted down or re-cut to erase their provenance, making their recovery increasingly unlikely.
