Police arrest 5 more suspects in Louvre heist; jewels still missing

Police have arrested five more suspects linked to the theft of treasures worth US$102 million (S$132 million) from the Louvre museum’s Apollo gallery, the Paris prosecutor said on Oct 30, expressing hope that the latest developments will help them find the jewels.

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A security employee on patrol outside the Louvre on Oct 30. A French prosecutor said the latest suspects in the heist were arrested in coordinated raids in different parts of Paris and its northern suburbs. PHOTO: REUTERS

Four hooded thieves made off with their booty during opening hours on the morning of Oct 19, exposing security lapses at the world’s most-visited museum in a brazen daylight heist that sent shockwaves around the world and prompted soul-searching in France over what some viewed as a national humiliation.

Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau told radio station RTL on Oct 30 that the latest suspects had been arrested in coordinated raids in different parts of the capital and its northern suburbs on the evening of Oct 29.

One of them was identified through DNA traces left at the crime scene but it was not clear if all were suspected of direct involvement.