There’s a big development in what many considered one of the most daring museum thefts in recent memory. On Sunday, French authorities confirmed that two men were arrested in connection with the robbery at the Louvre Museum in Paris. One suspect was nabbed at Charles de Gaulle Airport as he attempted to board a flight to Algeria, while the other was taken into custody in the Paris region.
The theft occurred on October 19 in the museum’s Apollo Gallery, where thieves made off with eight pieces of historic crown jewels—valued at about $102 million—in under eight minutes. Investigators say the suspects used a truck-mounted lift, entered via a window, smashed display cases and escaped on motorbikes.
While arrests mark a serious leap forward, authorities caution that many questions remain. Laure Beccuau, the Paris prosecutor, declined to say how many in total were detained or whether any of the jewels have been recovered. The fact that one suspect tried to flee the country suggests investigators believe there was an international dimension.
The museum’s director has acknowledged a “terrible failure” of security, and the incident has sparked fresh scrutiny of cultural-heritage protections in France. For now, the arrests offer some relief—but until the jewels are found and the full network of suspects revealed, the story is far from over.
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