Two suspects have been arrested over the daring heist of precious jewels from Paris's Louvre museum, French authorities confirmed on Saturday. The thieves, who used power tools to break into the building in broad daylight last Sunday, stole items worth €88m (£76m; $102m).
The arrest was made at Charles de Gaulle Airport as one of the suspects prepared to board a flight to Algeria. Police sources say the suspect was caught because DNA found at the scene of the robbery matched him.
Another suspect is believed to be heading to Mali, police said. The Paris prosecutor's office had previously been critical of media reports about the case, saying they undermined efforts to recover the jewels and identify those responsible.
The thieves broke into the museum through a first-floor window and used power tools to cut through glass display cases containing jewels. They were inside for just four minutes before making their escape on scooters waiting outside.
Security measures have been tightened around France's cultural institutions following the heist, with some of the most precious jewels transferred to the Bank of France's secure vault.
The thieves' method highlights weaknesses in the museum's security protocols, which the French justice minister has conceded "failed" and left the country with a "terrible image".
The arrest was made at Charles de Gaulle Airport as one of the suspects prepared to board a flight to Algeria. Police sources say the suspect was caught because DNA found at the scene of the robbery matched him.
Another suspect is believed to be heading to Mali, police said. The Paris prosecutor's office had previously been critical of media reports about the case, saying they undermined efforts to recover the jewels and identify those responsible.
The thieves broke into the museum through a first-floor window and used power tools to cut through glass display cases containing jewels. They were inside for just four minutes before making their escape on scooters waiting outside.
Security measures have been tightened around France's cultural institutions following the heist, with some of the most precious jewels transferred to the Bank of France's secure vault.
The thieves' method highlights weaknesses in the museum's security protocols, which the French justice minister has conceded "failed" and left the country with a "terrible image".
. €88m worth of jewels just gone... yeah right, like that's going to make a huge dent in the global economy or anything 
. And let me get this straight, they used power tools to break in and then scooted off on bikes? What, did they think they'd blend in with all the tourists taking selfies outside 
? I mean, who tries to pull off a heist during the day when everyone's around? It just seems like a really sloppy operation to me... 
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. I'm actually kinda impressed by their audacity - breaking into the Louvre in broad daylight? that's some next level stuff 
. but at the same time, i feel bad for all those people who were affected by it - the museum staff, security guards, and visitors who had to deal with the chaos 
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. the fact that the suspects were caught because of DNA evidence is actually kinda reassuring - at least law enforcement was able to track them down 
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I mean, can't believe those guys were so reckless! Breaking into the Louvre in broad daylight with power tools? It's like they wanted to make it easy for the cops to catch them. 
The fact that one suspect was trying to leave the country as soon as he got busted? Come on! 
Let this be a lesson to everyone: if you're going to try something like that, at least have a good plan and some basic skills, or don't bother trying! 
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what's up with these thieves thinkin they can just barge into a world famous museum & get away with millions of dollars worth of jewels? I mean, come on, they knew they were messin' with history & priceless art! The fact that it only took 'em 4 minutes to break in & out is crazy 
. And now the French government's gotta deal with the aftermath - tightenin up security, movin' all that fancy stuff to a super secure vault... it's like they're playin' catch-up 
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. Power tools and glass display cases – it's like they wanted to make a dramatic entrance or something 
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. DNA, huh? That's just basic police work 
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. And yeah, it's pretty clear that the thieves knew exactly what they were doing – just 4 minutes in and out, no big deal 
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. Can't wait to see 'em... not 
Just saw that they caught two suspects over the Louvre heist...about time, I mean 4 minutes inside and they got away? 
. and yeah, the fact that they were able to use DNA to track down one of them is pretty wild 
. dna is like super reliable, right? so yeah, it's just another reminder how important forensic science is in solving these kinds of crimes 
. But this... it's on a whole different level.
. And yet, somehow, some thieves still managed to pull off heists that would make your head spin. I guess you could say that the Louvre heist just highlights how much technology has advanced (and also how vulnerable it can be) 
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. but at the same time, i'm curious - what do you think would have happened if someone tried to pull off a heist at the louvre? 
Anyway, I'm not surprised security is being tightened up around museums everywhere. I mean, it's just common sense, right? And I feel for the French people, having to deal with this kind of thing. Reminds me of that time I went to London and got pickpocketed at Buckingham Palace... anyway, €88m worth of jewels stolen is no joke! It's like they say, 'if you're not careful, the things you own will own you'. Anyway, hope the DNA evidence helped catch these guys and the jewels get recovered soon 
