OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
5:32 PM – Thursday, October 30, 2025
French authorities have arrested five additional suspects in connection with the October 19th jewel heist at the Louvre Museum, bringing the total number of people in custody to seven, Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccuau announced on Thursday.
However, similar to the first two arrests, the additional five have not been publicly named.
The most recent arrests, carried out overnight in Paris and the nearby Seine-Saint-Denis suburb, mark a development in what investigators have described as one of the “most sophisticated art thefts in decades.” It took thieves less than eight minutes to steal the jewels — valued at $102 million.
Among those detained is a man believed to have been part of the four-person team that physically entered the museum during the robbery.
Despite the arrests, none of the stolen jewels, eight priceless pieces from France’s historic Crown Jewels collection, have been recovered yet. Authorities fear the artifacts may already have been broken down or altered to evade detection.
The heist unfolded on October 19th during regular visiting hours at the Louvre’s Galerie d’Apollo, home to some of France’s most valuable treasures. Investigators say the thieves used a stolen utility truck and a lift to access a side window, then smashed display cases in a lightning-fast operation lasting less than eight minutes before escaping.
The stolen items are estimated to be worth nearly €88 million (about $102 million), though experts say their cultural value is incalculable.
Two men — an unnamed 34-year-old Algerian national and a 39-year-old resident of Aubervilliers — were arrested earlier this week and have partially admitted to involvement in the heist after their DNA was found at the scene. Both remain in custody.
Prosecutor Beccuau described the investigation as an “exceptional mobilization” of French law enforcement. Nearly 100 investigators are still working around the clock, supported by forensic teams that have collected more than 150 samples from the site.
Authorities have not uncovered evidence of insider assistance from museum staff, but questions persist over how such a brazen crime could occur during daylight hours.
Beccuau appealed to anyone in possession of the stolen jewels to come forward, warning that the items are effectively unsellable and that buyers could face serious charges for handling stolen goods.
For now, investigators’ top priority is locating the missing jewels and determining how many more people may have played supporting roles in the operation. Police are reportedly tracking financial transactions and communication patterns among the suspects to trace the network behind the theft.
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