French authorities have arrested four additional suspects linked to the dramatic €88 million crown jewels theft from the Louvre Museum last month, marking a major advance in one of France’s most audacious museum heists. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau confirmed the arrests, saying, “They are two men aged 38 and 39, and two women aged 31 and 40, all from the Paris region.”
Investigators say the new arrests include the last remaining alleged member of the four-person team that physically broke into the museum. French newspaper Le Parisien reported that anti-gang officers detained the suspected thief on Tuesday morning, and he is being held at police headquarters on charges of organised theft and criminal conspiracy.
Police sources told Le Parisien that the suspect has a criminal record and ties to the three alleged gang members already under investigation. All four individuals reportedly have links to Aubervilliers, a suburb long associated with organised theft rings and black-market activity.
Authorities believe DNA samples collected from items abandoned at the scene played a crucial role in the investigation. Gloves, a hi-vis vest, and disc cutters recovered inside the Louvre enabled forensic teams to trace two suspects, identified as Ayed G and Abdoulaye N, who were arrested a week after the robbery.
Investigators say the thieves executed the Louvre robbery with military-style precision, relying on a stolen truck, an extendable ladder, and a freight lift to access the Apollo Gallery. Two members of the gang smashed an unsecured window and broke two glass display cases before escaping through the same route and fleeing on two motorbikes.
The heist, which lasted less than seven minutes, targeted eight historic jewels, including an emerald-and-diamond necklace Napoleon Bonaparte gifted to his wife Marie Louise. The stolen pieces also include a tiara adorned with 212 pearls and nearly 2,000 diamonds that once belonged to the wife of Napoleon III.
A third man, Slimane K, suspected of driving one of the getaway scooters, was arrested several days after the two primary suspects were detained. Authorities now believe one of the latest arrests identifies the second driver, completing the alleged four-man core team.
Despite the progress, none of the crown jewels stolen during the daylight raid have been recovered. The missing treasures remain a significant concern for French authorities, who fear the pieces may already have been dismantled or trafficked through underground networks.
