Five More Arrested in $102 Million Louvre Heist, Priceless Jewels Still Missing

French authorities have detained five new suspects in connection with the spectacular Louvre Museum jewel heist, as investigators intensify efforts to recover stolen treasures worth nearly $102 million (€88 million). The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed the arrests on Thursday, though the whereabouts of the missing jewels remain unknown.

The suspects were apprehended during early morning raids in and around Paris, including the suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis, following a coordinated operation led by the French police’s organized crime division. According to Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau, forensic evidence—particularly DNA traces found at the crime scene—played a key role in identifying one of the detainees.

The arrests come weeks after two earlier suspects were taken into custody, one of whom was detained while attempting to flee France. Both men have reportedly confessed partial involvement in the daring robbery that stunned art and security experts worldwide.

The heist, executed in under eight minutes, targeted the Apollo Gallery, home to France’s royal jewels and several pieces once belonging to Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III. Investigators believe a four-member gang used a stolen furniture-lifting truck to scale the museum’s facade, shatter reinforced glass display cases, and escape on waiting scooters before police could respond.

Despite the arrests, authorities have yet to recover any of the stolen artifacts, which include crowns, diamond necklaces, and 19th-century ceremonial jewels of immense historical significance. Prosecutors caution that while the new suspects may help unravel the operation’s logistics, there is no evidence yet linking them to the current location of the loot.

The Louvre, one of the world’s most visited museums, has faced intense scrutiny since the heist. Security experts have criticized what they describe as “glaring lapses” in surveillance and response systems, particularly given the museum’s round-the-clock security protocols. Officials have since pledged to review and upgrade security infrastructure, including improved monitoring and access controls.

Investigators are also probing possible ties between the suspects and international criminal syndicates known for art trafficking. French intelligence sources suggest the stolen jewels may have already been smuggled out of Europe or dismantled for resale.

As the investigation expands, the Louvre heist—among the largest art thefts in modern history—has reignited global debates over museum security and the vulnerability of cultural heritage to sophisticated organized crime.