French authorities have arrested four more individuals in connection with the brazen daylight robbery that shocked the art world last month, when thieves stole royal jewels worth $102 million from Paris's renowned Louvre Museum. The stolen loot from the seven-minute operation remains missing, despite an ongoing investigation into what has been called one of the most audacious museum heists in recent history.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau announced on Tuesday that the latest arrests include two men, ages 38 and 39, and two women, ages 31 and 40. All four suspects are residents of the Paris region and were taken into custody as part of the expanding investigation into the theft. The robbery targeted eight priceless items from the museum's collection, including an emerald and diamond necklace that Napoleon I had given to his second wife, Empress Marie-Louise.
The heist took place on October 19, when four criminals executed a meticulously planned operation at the world's most visited art museum. Two men positioned a moving lift beneath the Apollo Gallery, which houses France's crown jewels. Using the lift's bucket, they ascended to the second floor, smashed through a window, and used angle grinders to break open the display cases containing the precious artifacts. The entire operation was completed in less than seven minutes, with the thieves escaping on scooters driven by two accomplices.
During their hasty escape, the criminals dropped a jewel-encrusted crown that had once belonged to Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III. However, the remainder of the stolen treasures has not been recovered. The break-in left a shattered window at the museum, which has since been covered with wooden panels as investigators continue their work.
Prior to these latest arrests, four other individuals had already been arrested and placed under formal investigation for their alleged roles in the heist. Among those previously charged are three men and one woman. Investigators revealed this month that one of the men, a 37-year-old suspect, is in a romantic relationship with the female suspect, and the couple has children together. Their arrest came after DNA evidence linked them to the basket lift used during the robbery.
The criminal backgrounds of the suspects paint a picture of experienced thieves. The 37-year-old man has a extensive criminal record with 11 previous convictions, most of them for theft-related offenses. The first two men arrested in the case are residents of Aubervilliers, a northeastern suburb of Paris, and were also known to police for previous theft crimes.
The spectacular heist has garnered international media attention and raised serious questions about security measures at French cultural institutions. France has experienced a series of break-ins at museums and other cultural sites, highlighting vulnerabilities in protecting the nation's artistic treasures. In response to the security breach, the Louvre's director has made public commitments to enhance protection measures, including increasing police presence and installing additional security cameras throughout the facility. During testimony before French lawmakers, the director acknowledged that security failings had contributed to the successful theft, marking a rare admission of institutional shortcomings at one of the world's most prestigious museums.
