Two people have been arrested in Paris in connection with the theft of crown jewels from the Louvre, one of the world’s most high-profile museums.
The robbers broke into the building in broad daylight last Sunday, October 19th and escaped with jewels worth an estimated €88 million ($102 million), using industrial tools to cut through a window. They threatened security guards and emptied two display cases. France’s justice minister admitted that “security protocols had failed,” leaving the country with “a terrible image.”
One suspect was arrested at Charles de Gaulle Airport while attempting to board a flight to Algeria, while the other was reportedly preparing to travel to Mali.
Investigators identified them through DNA traces left on gloves, a high-visibility vest, and even a crown once worn by Empress Eugénie. The gang spent just four minutes inside before fleeing on two scooters.
A preliminary report found that a third of the gallery’s CCTV cameras were not working, and the only camera facing the exterior wall was angled away from the balcony where the thieves broke in. The Louvre has since tightened security and transferred its most valuable jewels to the Bank of France’s underground vault.
Experts fear the jewelry may already have been dismantled. Gold and silver can be melted down, while precious stones can be recut into smaller gems—making them virtually impossible to trace.
Amid a plethora of crises, the audacious crime has further eroded the credibility of leading French institutions.
