Two arrested over theft of jewels at Louvre

2 minute read

Two suspects have been arrested over the theft of precious crown jewels from Paris's Louvre museum, the BBC reported citing French media and authorities.

The Paris prosecutor's office said one of the men had been taken into custody as he was preparing to take a flight from Charles de Gaulle Airport, according to the BBC.

Items worth €88m were taken from the world's most-visited museum last Sunday, when four thieves wielding power tools broke into the building in broad daylight.

France's justice minister has conceded security protocols "failed", leaving the country with a "terrible image".

One of the suspects was preparing to travel to Algeria, police sources have told French media, while it is understood the other was going to Mali.

According to reports in French media on Sunday, DNA found at the scene of the robbery led to the identification of one of the suspects.

The gang left behind a number of items, including gloves and a high-vis jacket.

It has previously been reported that they dropped a crown that once belonged to Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III.

The suspects arrived with a vehicle-mounted mechanical lift to gain access to the Galerie d'Apollon (Gallery of Apollo) via a balcony close to the River Seine.

The Telegraph reported that French detectives investigating the robbery have uncovered evidence pointing to an inside job. 

 

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