Paris prosecutors have confirmed that two additional suspects have been handed preliminary charges in connection with the daring theft of the crown jewels from the Louvre museum. The announcement comes three days after their arrest as part of a broad investigation into the incident.
Prosecutor Laure Beccuau said a 37-year-old man has been charged with theft by an organised gang and criminal conspiracy. He is already known to authorities for previous thefts. The second suspect, a 38-year-old woman, faces charges as an accomplice. Both are currently in custody.
The suspects deny any involvement, according to the prosecutor.
The woman’s lawyer, Adrien Sorrentino, told reporters that his client is “devastated” and disputes the accusations. “She does not understand how she is implicated in any of the elements she is accused of,” he said.
Stolen Jewels Still Missing
The crown jewels stolen during the 19 October heist have yet to be recovered. The collection, valued at around $102 million, includes Napoleon’s diamond-and-emerald wedding necklace for Empress Marie-Louise, jewels linked to 19th-century queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense, and Empress Eugénie’s pearl-and-diamond tiara.
Earlier, five people were arrested in connection with the heist, including one linked to the crime by DNA, believed to be part of the four-member team that entered the Louvre using a freight lift truck. The prosecutor did not clarify if this individual was among those charged on Saturday. Three others have been released without charge.
Two earlier suspects, men aged 34 and 39 from Aubervilliers, north of Paris, were charged this week with theft by an organised gang and criminal conspiracy. Beccuau said they gave “minimalist” statements and “partially admitted” involvement. These men are thought to have forced entry into the Apollo Gallery, with one stopped at Charles-de-Gaulle Airport holding a one-way ticket to Algeria; his DNA matched a scooter used in the getaway.
Investigation Remains Ongoing
Details about the suspects have been kept private under French law, which enforces the principle of “secret d’instruction” to protect police operations and victims’ privacy. Only the prosecutor may comment publicly, and any violations can lead to prosecution.
Beccuau praised an “exceptional mobilisation” of approximately 100 investigators working seven days a week. Around 150 forensic samples have been analysed and 189 items sealed as evidence so far.
The heist itself took less than eight minutes. The four thieves used a freight lift to access the gallery, with two forcing a window and cutting into display cases using disc cutters. They then fled on two scooters towards eastern Paris. Police and museum security arrived almost simultaneously, preventing the robbers from destroying evidence or torching the lift.
So far, there is no evidence of insider help, though investigators are not ruling out a wider network beyond the four suspects captured on camera.
Separate Lyon Robbery
In a related incident, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported that six people were arrested following a robbery at a gold refining laboratory in Lyon on Thursday. The thieves used explosives, and the loot, estimated at €12 million ($13.9 million), has been recovered.