French police continue their investigation into the high-profile robbery at the Louvre’s Apollo Gallery, as questions mount over museum security failures and a possible wider criminal network
French police have made five new arrests in the investigation into the audacious theft of jewels worth an estimated $102 million from the Louvre Museum’s famed Galerie d’Apollon, the Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed on Thursday.
Speaking on RTL radio, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said the suspects were apprehended during coordinated evening raids across several districts of the capital on Wednesday. One of the individuals was identified through DNA traces recovered at the scene of the crime.
These developments follow the weekend detention of two other men, one of whom was caught attempting to leave France. According to Beccuau, both suspects have since “partially admitted” their roles in the theft, which has shaken public confidence in the security of one of the world’s most visited cultural institutions.
“Once we obtained partial confessions, we had to accelerate the arrest operations,” Beccuau explained, adding that although the jewels remain missing, investigators are hopeful that the latest suspects will shed light on the events surrounding the heist.
The theft, described as meticulously planned, has raised serious concerns about surveillance gaps at the Louvre. Notably, the museum’s CCTV coverage had blind spots that allowed the robbers to evade swift detection. The investigation suggests that four individuals carried out the break-in, though authorities believe they may have been aided by a broader criminal network.
“We’re not ruling out the presence of a mastermind — someone who orchestrated the operation and possibly ordered the theft,” Beccuau added.
The Apollo Gallery, home to some of the museum’s most prized treasures, remained open to the public on Thursday, with crowds forming outside the iconic glass pyramid as the investigation continues. The case has sparked national debate over cultural heritage security and the vulnerabilities of even the most renowned institutions.
(Associated Medias) – all rights reserved