Five new arrests widen the probe into the Louvre jewel heist

French authorities have made significant progress in the investigation of the audacious Louvre jewel robbery. On Thursday, officials confirmed five additional arrests, expanding police operations across Paris and its surrounding suburbs. One suspect was reportedly linked to the case through DNA evidence.

Three of the four men believed to be part of the so-called “commando team,” as dubbed by French media, are now in custody. Overnight raids raised the total number of detained individuals to seven.

Prosecutor Laure Beccuau said that although the arrests provide new leads, the stolen collection—worth an estimated $102 million—remains missing. The loot includes a diamond-emerald necklace gifted by Napoleon to Empress Marie-Louise, jewels connected to 19th-century queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense, and Empress Eugénie’s pearl-and-diamond tiara. Only Eugénie’s crown has resurfaced, damaged but recoverable.

A 4-minute operation: How the heist unfolded

Investigators have uncovered more about the planning behind the crime. Nine days before the robbery, thieves stole a lift truck from the town of Louvres after luring the owner with a fake moving request. The same lift appeared outside the Louvre on the day of the crime.

At 9:30 a.m., the platform rose to a window of the Apollo Gallery. By 9:34 the thieves had shattered the glass, and four minutes later the group escaped on two scooters heading east. The almost immediate arrival of security forces prevented the robbers from destroying the lift, preserving key forensic evidence.

Security scrutiny intensifies

The heist has prompted widespread criticism of the Louvre’s security systems. Paris police acknowledged that the museum’s outdated camera network and lapses in maintenance contributed to the delayed internal alert. A passerby—not museum sensors—was the first to contact police.

Suspects already charged

Two men from Aubervilliers, aged 34 and 39, were previously charged with organized theft and conspiracy. One suspect, detained at Charles-de-Gaulle Airport with a one-way ticket to Algeria, was tied to the getaway scooters through DNA analysis.