Paris police arrest two suspects in massive $100 million Louvre jewelry heist
French authorities have arrested two men allegedly behind a dramatic $100 million daytime heist of France’s crown jewels at the Louvre, as police hunt two more suspects on the run, RadarOnline.com reports.
According to Le Parisien, one of the alleged thieves was arrested at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport on Saturday evening while trying to board a flight to Algeria.
Both men, in their thirties and from the rough Parisian suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis, were arrested on charges of ‘organized gang robberies’ and ‘conspiracy to commit a crime’.
Police had been tipped off that a suspect was planning to flee to Algeria, leading to his arrest at Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle airport in Paris.
The second suspect was arrested shortly afterwards in central Paris. However, authorities have not yet recovered any of the stolen jewelry.
Investigators believe that the four-man crew – already known to the police from previous robberies – acted on orders.
On October 19, the group committed the daring heist, disguised in yellow vests and motorcycle helmets, breaking into one of the most famous museums in the world in broad daylight.
The thieves reportedly made off with eight royal pieces, including a sapphire diadem, necklace and single earring linked to 19th-century queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense.
Among the stolen treasures were Empress Eugénie’s diamond diadem and a brooch with a corsage bow – both considered masterpieces of imperial craftsmanship. Eugénie’s emerald crown, decorated with more than 1,300 diamonds, was later found damaged but was able to be repaired outside the museum.
Authorities have not yet identified the remaining suspects or the mastermind behind the cinematic operation.
Police investigators collected nearly 150 traces of DNA, fingerprints and hair samples from multiple locations in Paris. A lock of hair believed to have belonged to the first thief to enter the museum was reportedly discovered in a discarded motorcycle helmet and vest near the scene.
Both men are being held at police headquarters, where they can be held for up to 96 hours before formal charges are filed.
In response to the high-profile theft, security has been increased at cultural institutions across France. The French Crown Jewels have now been transferred to a secure vault at the Bank of France.
A report by the French Court of Auditors, due in November, shows that the Louvre’s video surveillance systems were inadequate and that its security budget in 2024 was significantly lower than 20 years earlier.
France’s Interior Minister welcomed the arrests on Sunday, October 26, and urged investigators to maintain their “determination” as the international hunt for the missing jewels continues.
