Suspects arrested in $102 million Louvre jewellery heist after weeklong Paris police investigation

French authorities have arrested several individuals in connection with the daring jewellery theft that took place at the Louvre Museum in Paris last week, the Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed on Sunday.

According to the prosecutor, the arrests were made on Saturday evening as part of an ongoing investigation into the high-profile heist. One suspect was reportedly apprehended at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport while attempting to leave the country, while another was detained shortly afterward in the Paris region, Le Parisien reported.

The arrests follow an intensive manhunt launched after a group of intruders stole eight pieces of jewellery worth an estimated $102 million from the world-famous museum. The theft occurred in broad daylight and lasted just four minutes. Using the extendable ladder of a movers’ truck, the thieves allegedly climbed into a first-floor gallery, seized the jewels, and fled on scooters after dropping one crown during their escape.

Among the stolen items was an emerald-and-diamond necklace once gifted by Napoleon Bonaparte to his wife, Empress Marie-Louise — a piece of immense historical and cultural value.

The Louvre, home to Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, remained closed the day after the heist as soldiers patrolled its glass pyramid entrance and investigators gathered evidence. The audacious theft has dominated international headlines and prompted widespread concern about the security of France’s most significant cultural institutions.

French media outlets, including Le Parisien and Paris Match, reported that the investigation involves dozens of detectives and specialized crime units. Officials have not disclosed whether any of the stolen jewellery has been recovered.

The Louvre has since reopened to the public, though the investigation into the multi-million-dollar robbery remains ongoing, according to the Paris prosecutor’s office.