Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the audacious theft of crown jewels from the Louvre Museum, one week after the multi-million dollar heist captivated global attention.
According to Paris prosecutor Laura Beu, the two men, both in their 30s and from the Paris suburb of Sandeni, were taken into custody. One of the suspects was apprehended at a Paris-area airport while attempting to board a flight to Algeria.
The arrests follow an international manhunt that began last Sunday after thieves breached the museum’s Apollo Gallery in a minutes-long, daylight operation. The stolen Napoleon-era jewels are valued at an estimated $102 million. The haul included a sapphire jewelry set and Empress Eugénie’s brooch.
The museum’s director previously called the incident a “terrible failure.”
The heist has since turned the crime scene into an unexpected tourist attraction. “We just came from Germany to see it here because we also got kind of inspired,” said one visitor, while another joked they hoped to “find a few diamonds that they may have missed or dropped on the way out.”
One significant item, Empress Eugénie’s crown, was recovered at the scene. A security guard found it after the break-in, stating it was a proud moment. He believes the thieves dropped the crown in a panic when they saw security personnel rushing to the gallery.
The case has garnered widespread intrigue, even drawing a lighthearted comment from actor George Clooney, who suggested the heist should be featured in a potential “Oceans 14” film.
However, French authorities are treating the matter with the utmost seriousness. In a statement, Prosecutor Beu chastised the “hasty disclosure of information” about the ongoing investigation, warning that it hinders the search for the missing jewels and the remaining perpetrators.
France’s interior minister congratulated investigators in a post on the social media platform X, while also urging the public to respect the confidentiality of the case.
The investigation into the heist and the search for any additional suspects and the stolen jewels continues.
