Five more people were arrested in relation to the investigation into the heist of jewels valued to be worth an estimated $102 million at Paris’ Louvre Museum, according to the New York Post.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau announced that five more people were detained within the Paris region Wednesday (October 29) night via RTL Radio but didn’t provide their identities. One of the detainees is suspected to have been part of the four-person team that carried out the robbery at the Louve’s Apollo Gallery on October 19, following the previous arrests of two others on Sunday (October 26).
The two other suspects were charged with criminal conspiracy and theft committed by an organized gang on Wednesday (October 29) and admitted their involvement, according to Beccuau.
“Searches last night and overnight did not allow us to find the goods,” she said.
Footage released last week showed the thieves who stole $100 million worth of jewels from the famed Louvre Museum in Paris making a getaway on October 19. Two of the four suspects were shown being slowly lowered to the ground in the basket of a construction lift after completing the heist of the historic items in Paris before being obscured from view and taking off on motorized scooters, having abandoned a moving truck, police said via the Telegraph.
The suspects “broke open” a window and entered through the Galerie d’Apollon, which displays the French crown jewels, as well as other artifacts, at around 9:30 a.m. local time last Sunday, the Louvre confirmed in a statement.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez initially described the jewels stolen as being “inestimable” in value during a local radio interview via ABC News prior to later confirmation of their value. Two of the thieves reportedly entered the Apollo Gallery, using small chainsaws to break open the display case, while one stayed outside, the investigator confirmed.
The suspects allegedly tried unsuccessfully to set fire to their mobile ladder before fleeing and accidentally dropped an emerald-set imperial crown that contained 1,300 diamonds that had previously belonged to Empress Eugenie during the incident, according to authorities. A motorcycle helmet belonging to one suspect and one glove were found at the scene.
The Louvre Museum was temporarily closed for multiple days early in the investigation.
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