French authorities have arrested two suspects connected to the daylight heist at the Louvre Museum that resulted in the theft of crown jewels valued at $102 million. According to the BBC, one suspect was preparing to travel to Algeria and the other was believed to be heading to Mali.
The theft took place last week when four masked thieves used a vehicle-mounted mechanical lift to reach the Gallery of Apollo through a balcony overlooking the River Seine. Two of the men reportedly used power tools to cut through a window before threatening security guards, who then evacuated. The thieves quickly cut through the glass of two display cases containing royal jewels and escaped in just several minutes on scooters waiting outside.
Investigators said the group left behind several items, including gloves and a high-visibility jacket. French media reported that DNA found at the scene helped identify one of the suspects.
French Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin criticized the museum’s security measures, saying they had “failed” and damaged the country’s image.
“One can wonder about the fact that, for example, the windows hadn’t been secured, about the fact that a basket lift was on a public road,” Darmanin said on France Inter radio. “What is certain is that we have failed.”
The Louvre’s director told French senators that the only security camera covering the museum’s outer wall was pointed away from the balcony the thieves used. He also said that much of the museum’s perimeter CCTV system was “aging,” which contributed to staff failing to detect the suspects in time.
