Louvre Heist: New Arrests Made, 102M Jewels Remain Missing
(MENAFN) Paris authorities escalated their probe into the brazen Louvre museum robbery Saturday, charging two additional suspects as the priceless stolen treasures remain unaccounted for nearly two weeks after the audacious crime.
Prosecutor Laure Beccuau disclosed the charges against a 37-year-old male suspect and a 38-year-old female accomplice, pushing the total number of defendants to four since investigators launched their inquiry into the high-stakes theft.
The male defendant faces accusations of participating directly in the criminal operation and now confronts charges of organized theft alongside criminal conspiracy allegations. His female co-defendant stands accused of complicity in the elaborate scheme, according to the prosecutor's office.
Both defendants remain behind bars following their arraignment and have entered not-guilty pleas. Authorities released three additional individuals apprehended during Wednesday evening raids, declining to file charges against them at present, prosecutors confirmed.
The development follows earlier charges against two initial suspects who "partially admitted" their roles in the operation, Beccuau's office noted.
The missing cache—an extraordinary assemblage of royal jewelry carrying an estimated value of 88 million euros (102 million U.S. dollars)—continues to elude recovery efforts. Investigators are exploring scenarios in which the artifacts may have been dismantled to enable underground international sales.
"There are several hypotheses concerning the items, including that they have already been sold abroad. But I remain confident that we will be able to find them," Interior Minister Laurent Nunez stated in remarks published Saturday by a French newspaper.
One day earlier, Culture Minister Rachida Dati called out a "chronic and structural underestimation of the risk of intrusion and theft" plaguing the Louvre for over two decades. Dati unveiled an urgent security overhaul scheduled for completion before year's end, featuring enhanced anti-intrusion fortifications and modernized alarm and surveillance infrastructure.
Museum director Laurence des Cars tendered her resignation following the devastating heist, though officials declined to accept it. (1 euro = 1.16 U.S. dollar)
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