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4h ago

Two Louvre Heist Suspects Partially Admit Role as Hunt for Crown Jewels Continues

DNA traces on a scooter and shattered glass guided police to the two men now before investigating judges.

A police car parks in the courtyard of the Louvre museum, one week after the robbery, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025 in Paris. The Paris prosecutor said on Sunday that a number of suspects have been arrested over the theft of crown jewels from Paris' Louvre museum last weekend. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)
A French Forensics Officer examines the cut window and balcony of a gallery at the Louvre Museum which was the scene of a robbery at the world famous museum earlier in the day on October 19, 2025 in Paris.
Police officers look for clues by a basket lift used by thieves Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 at the Louvre museum in Paris. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
The Louvre museum in Paris is one of the biggest museums in the world and houses works of art such as the Mona Lisa. The building is a historic monument.

Overview

  • Prosecutor Laure Beccuau said the pair have partially acknowledged involvement and face preliminary charges of organized theft and criminal conspiracy, carrying potential 15-year sentences.
  • The stolen crown jewels, valued at about €88 million ($102 million), have not been recovered as prosecutors appeal for their return, stressing the pieces are effectively unsellable.
  • At least two additional suspects remain at large after a forensic-led probe that analyzed more than 150 DNA samples; one man was stopped at Charles de Gaulle Airport before a flight to Algeria and another was arrested in Aubervilliers.
  • Authorities report no evidence of inside help at the museum; the seven-minute raid used a truck-mounted lift to access a window before thieves smashed display cases and fled.
  • Paris police detailed major security failures including aging analogue cameras and an expired surveillance authorization, with a long-planned overhaul not expected before 2029–2030 and some treasures moved to the Bank of France for safekeeping.