The Paris prosecutor announced on Sunday the apprehension of two individuals in connection with the theft of crown jewels from the Louvre museum. The arrests were made by investigators on Saturday evening, with one of the suspects intercepted while attempting to leave the country.
One of the suspects was apprehended at Charles de Gaulle Airport around 10 p.m. on Saturday as he was about to depart France. The second suspect was detained later in the evening in the Seine-Saint-Denis suburb north of Paris. Paris police have not provided immediate comment on the matter.
The theft occurred on October 19 when thieves targeted the renowned museum, making off with eight valuable pieces of jewelry valued at approximately $143 million Cdn. The incident exposed security vulnerabilities as the perpetrators used a crane to break into an upstairs window during museum hours and escaped on motorcycles.
The news of the robbery resonated globally, sparking introspection in France regarding what some considered a national disgrace. According to Le Parisien, the two suspects, both in their thirties and originally from Seine-Saint-Denis, were already on the radar of French authorities. One of the suspects was reportedly planning to travel to Algeria.
