The theft of crown jewels from the Louvre museum in Paris has led to the arrest of two suspects, according to the Paris prosecutor. The arrests were made by investigators on Saturday evening, with one of the men apprehended at Charles de Gaulle Airport while preparing to leave the country. The second suspect was later arrested in the Seine-Saint-Denis suburb north of Paris.
The robbery, which occurred on October 19, involved the theft of eight valuable pieces of jewelry valued at around $143 million Cdn from the Louvre’s collection. The thieves exploited security vulnerabilities by using a crane to break into an upstairs window of the museum during opening hours before fleeing on motorbikes.
The incident has sparked global attention and prompted introspection in France, with some viewing it as a national embarrassment. The two suspects, both in their 30s and originally from Seine-Saint-Denis, were reportedly known to French authorities. One of the suspects was allegedly planning to travel to Algeria.
Paris police have yet to provide further details on the case.