Two suspects arrested over multimillion Louvre museum heist in Paris

French police detained two men for allegedly stealing 19th-century jewels from the Louvre's Gallery of Apollo in a daring daylight heist

Two men allegedly involved in the theft at Paris's Louvre museum have been arrested, French media reported. 

 

According to Le Parisien newspaper, the suspects were originally from the Parisian suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis. One was caught at Charles de Gaulle Airport as he was preparing to board a flight.

 

How the theft unfolded

 

The robbery at the museum, which houses paintings like Mona Lisa, happened on October 19, as confirmed by French Culture Minister Rachida Dati.

 

According to a BBC report, the thieves used a vehicle-mounted lift to access the Galerie d’Apollon (Gallery of Apollo) via a balcony overlooking the River Seine.

 

 

Images from the scene, released by the French authorities, showed a ladder reaching a first-floor window, which the intruders cut open using power tools. After forcing entry, they reportedly threatened security guards, prompting an evacuation. The group then smashed through glass display cases containing jewels.

 

A preliminary investigation revealed that nearly one-third of the rooms in the affected section of the museum lacked CCTV coverage, BBC reported. Police said the operation lasted only four minutes, with the thieves fleeing on two scooters parked nearby.

 

What was stolen?

 

Authorities confirmed that eight 19th-century pieces were stolen. According to France’s Ministry of Culture, the missing items include:

 

• A tiara and brooch once belonging to Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III
• An emerald necklace and earrings from Empress Marie Louise
• A tiara, necklace and earring from the sapphire collection of Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense
• A “reliquary brooch” of historical significance

 

The Paris prosecutor estimated the value of the stolen jewels at €88 million ($102 million). 

 

Museum reopens, gallery stays closed

 

The Louvre reopened to the public on October 22, though the Gallery of Apollo, where the theft took place, remains closed pending restoration and investigation.