Two suspects were arrested Saturday night (October 25) in connection with the audacious $100 million crown jewels heist at Paris’ Louvre Museum, with one nabbed while attempting to board a flight to Algeria.
One of the alleged thieves was captured Saturday night at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport as he attempted to board a flight to Algeria, according to Le Parisien. Both men, in their 30s and from the rough Paris suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis, were detained on charges of “organized gang robbery” and “conspiracy to commit a crime.” Police had been tipped off that one suspect was planning to flee to Algeria, leading to his arrest at Paris Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle Airport. The second suspect was apprehended shortly afterward in central Paris. However, authorities have yet to recover any of the stolen jewelry.
Investigators believe the four-man crew — already known to police for past robberies — was acting on commission. On October 19, the group carried out the audacious heist while disguised in yellow vests and motorcycle helmets, breaking into one of the world’s most famous museums in broad daylight.
The thieves reportedly made off with eight royal pieces, including a sapphire diadem, necklace, and single earring linked to 19th-century queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense.
Among the treasures stolen were Empress Eugénie’s diamond diadem and a corsage-bow brooch — both considered masterpieces of imperial craftsmanship. Eugénie’s emerald-set crown, adorned with more than 1,300 diamonds, was later found damaged but recoverable outside the museum. Authorities have not identified the remaining suspects or the mastermind behind the cinematic operation.
Police investigators gathered nearly 150 traces of DNA, fingerprints, and hair samples from multiple sites across Paris. A hair strand believed to belong to the first thief who entered the museum was reportedly discovered in a discarded motorcycle helmet and vest near the scene.