Two Louvre heist suspects ‘partially’ confess but crown jewels are still missing, Paris prosecutor says
What we know about the two arrested Louvre heist suspects
- Two suspects have “partially” admitted their involvement in the Louvre jewel heist, facing preliminary charges of theft committed by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy.
- The thieves stole jewels valued at 88 million euros ($102 million) in less than eight minutes on October 19, forcing a window and using power tools to cut into display cases.
- One suspect, a 34-year-old Algerian national, was arrested at Charles de Gaulle airport, while the other, 39, was arrested at his home; his DNA was found at the crime scene.
- French police acknowledged significant gaps in the Louvre's defenses, including outdated analog video systems, an expired security camera permit and a slow alert response chain, with the first alert coming from a cyclist.
- The stolen jewels have not been recovered, and officials warn they are unsellable; a major security revamp for the museum is not expected to be completed before 2029-2030.