The investigation into the audacious €88 million Louvre heist has expanded significantly with the arrest of five new suspects, including a key ringleader, as authorities work to unravel the full network behind the crime.
The arrests, made in the Paris region on Wednesday night, come just a day after two other suspects partially confessed to their roles in the brazen daylight theft. According to the Paris public prosecutor’s office, a “main suspect” was among those taken into custody.
“This is a significant step forward, but the web is larger than the four men we saw on camera,” a source close to the investigation stated, confirming earlier suspicions that the criminal gang involved was more extensive.
The new developments provide a clearer picture of the meticulously planned robbery. On October 19th, the thieves used a stolen vehicle-mounted lift to access the Apollon gallery from a balcony, wielded power tools to smash display cases, and completed the entire theft in just four minutes before escaping on waiting scooters.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau revealed a critical new clue: DNA evidence from one of the newly arrested suspects could be linked to the crime scene. The five new suspects can be held for up to 96 hours as investigators determine their precise roles, which prosecutors believe “may eventually inform us about how the incident took place.”
While the two initial suspects are believed to be the hands-on thieves, these new arrests target the potential planners and accomplices who facilitated the getaway and logistics. The fourth man seen on CCTV remains at large.
In a sobering postscript, the Louvre has since transferred its most precious jewels to the ultra-secure vault of the Bank of France, located 26 meters below ground, a clear response to the devastating security breach.
