Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
French authorities have arrested two men in connection with the high-profile theft of royal jewels from the Louvre Museum in Paris, an audacious crime that has captivated the country and triggered a large-scale investigation.
According to official and media reports, the arrests took place late on Saturday evening. One suspect was detained around 10 p.m. at Charles de Gaulle Airport as he attempted to board a flight abroad, while the second was apprehended shortly afterward in the French capital. The Paris prosecutor, Laure Beccu, confirmed that suspects were taken into custody in relation to the theft of the French Crown Jewels, stolen from the Louvre on October 19.
Although Beccu’s statement did not specify the total number of people arrested or provide further details, sources close to the investigation confirmed the two arrests. The suspects are being held on charges of organized theft and criminal conspiracy, suggesting the operation was carefully coordinated by a professional gang.
The theft itself was executed with remarkable precision. At around 9:30 a.m. on October 19, a group of four individuals reportedly used a truck equipped with a forklift to gain access to a section of the Louvre that houses part of France’s royal jewelry collection. Two of the thieves scaled the museum’s wall using the lift, smashed a window, and broke open display cases before escaping on two large motorcycles. The entire operation lasted no more than eight minutes.
The stolen pieces eight jewels from the French Crown collection are estimated to be worth around 88 million euros. Their disappearance represents one of the most significant art and heritage thefts in France in recent years.
A massive police operation is now underway to recover the jewels and identify all those involved. Nearly one hundred officers from the Criminal Brigade and the Central Office for the Fight against the Trafficking of Cultural Goods are leading the investigation.
French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin praised the swift progress of the case, writing on the social media platform X: “My warmest congratulations to the investigators who have worked tirelessly, as I asked them to, and who have always had my full confidence. The investigation must continue while respecting the confidentiality required in such cases.”
As investigators sift through evidence and surveillance footage, authorities believe the arrested suspects may belong to a larger network specialized in high-value art and jewelry theft. For now, Paris remains on alert as the search continues for the missing treasures symbols of France’s royal past and of the Louvre’s unparalleled cultural legacy.
