French authorities have arrested five additional suspects believed to be linked to the high-profile Louvre Museum heist earlier this month, according to Paris’ public prosecutor.
The arrests took place on Wednesday night across the Paris region, Prosecutor Laure Beccuau’s office confirmed. Among those taken into custody is a main suspect identified by investigators, French news agency AFP reported.
These latest arrests follow the partial confessions of two men earlier this week who admitted limited involvement in the daring daylight theft that occurred on 19 October. During the incident, four individuals broke into the world-famous museum and made off with valuable jewels estimated to be worth €88 million (£76 million; $102 million).
Speaking to French radio station RTL, Beccuau stated that none of the stolen items have yet been recovered. She also revealed that DNA evidence from one of the suspects may match samples found at the scene, potentially strengthening the prosecution’s case.
While investigators have not released further details, the suspects can be held for up to four days before formal charges are filed or they are released.
Authorities believe the group responsible for the audacious heist may be larger than the four individuals captured on CCTV footage, suggesting a wider criminal network could be involved.
The investigation remains ongoing as police work to trace the stolen jewels and dismantle the organization behind one of France’s most brazen art thefts in recent years.
