Overview
- Two men arrested earlier in the week have been charged with organized theft and criminal association and were remanded in custody.
- Five additional people were picked up Wednesday night in Paris and Seine‑Saint‑Denis, including a principal suspect tied to the crime by DNA, with one arrest carried out outside the Stade Jean‑Bouin.
- Searches overnight did not recover the eight stolen jewels, valued by prosecutors at about €88 million, while the dropped crown of Empress Eugénie was retrieved but is damaged and delicate to restore.
- Investigators report no evidence so far of internal museum complicity and are examining potential wider networks or buyers as the OCBC probes illicit resale channels for items unsellable on legal markets.
- The thieves used a stolen truck‑mounted lift, disguises and power tools to reach the Galerie d’Apollon and cut two display cases, completing the theft in roughly eight minutes after extensive pre‑planning; more than 150 forensic samples, video and phone data underpin the arrests.