French authorities have made a significant breakthrough in the high-profile Louvre jewelry heist, arresting five additional suspects, including a key individual, though the estimated $95 million in stolen royal jewels remain unrecovered.
The arrests occurred Wednesday night, 10 days after the theft of eight pieces of French royal jewelry from the museum. Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccu confirmed the development on RTL radio, stating police detained the suspects in Paris and its surrounding areas.
One of the five newly arrested individuals was a primary target of the investigation. Authorities believe this suspect was present at the scene during the robbery. The other four are expected to provide useful information regarding the crime’s details and execution.
These latest detentions follow the earlier arrests of two other suspects, aged 34 and 39. They were taken into custody the previous Saturday and subsequently charged with “theft by an organized criminal group” and “criminal association for the purpose of committing a crime.” Both remain in temporary detention.
The stolen French royal jewels carry an estimated value of 88 million euros, approximately $95 million. Despite the progress in arrests, none of the valuable items have yet been recovered.
A lawyer for the 34-year-old suspect previously emphasized the need for utmost respect for the secrecy of the ongoing investigation. The lawyer noted a “deep, unfathomable gap” between the spectacular nature of the case and the ordinary personality of their client.