The two suspects in the Louvre Museum heist, approximately 30 years old, were taken into custody on Saturday evening (25/10) by the Crime Suppression Unit of the Judicial Police of Paris.
Read: Louvre: Two suspects known to authorities – New evidence from investigations
The men chose to exercise their right to remain silent, as is common in organized crime cases, according to French newspaper Le Parisien. The first suspect, 39 years old with French-Algerian background, was identified thanks to hair found inside a motorcycle helmet that was abandoned after the heist. The second, a French citizen of Malian origin, was tracked down through DNA found on fibers from a yellow vest he wore and later discarded. The genetic analyses allowed for rapid identification, as their profiles already existed in the French national DNA database.
Louvre heist: The arrest at Paris airport
According to Le Parisien, police accelerated the arrest procedure when they learned that one of the two men was preparing to board a flight to Algeria. The suspects were arrested just before departure at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport. They are considered the main perpetrators of the heist, those who entered directly into the Apollo Gallery, where the Crown Jewels were displayed.
Eight priceless jewels were stolen on October 19, in just seven minutes. Despite extensive searches and home raids, police have found no trace of the stolen items. Two additional accomplices, who allegedly waited for the thieves with motorcycles outside the museum, remain at large.
Authorities express fears that the precious stones have already been dismantled and sold abroad through specialized networks. “Certain diamonds could be sold separately, which would make reassembling the jewelry pieces nearly impossible,” a source close to the investigation told Le Parisien.
An extensive and complex investigation is underway to identify the masterminds behind this heist, already considered one of the most audacious in Louvre history.
