Two More Suspects Charged in Louvre Crown-Jewels Heist as Search Continues for $102M Trove

Two additional suspects have been placed under preliminary charges in the Oct. 19 theft of the Louvre's crown jewels, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said Saturday. A 37-year-old man faces charges of theft by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy; a 38-year-old woman has been charged as an accomplice. Both are in custody and deny involvement.

The woman’s lawyer, Adrien Sorrentino, told reporters his client is "devastated" and "does not understand how she is implicated in any of the elements she is accused of."

Stolen jewels still missing

Authorities say the trove stolen in the Oct. 19 raid remains missing. The haul is valued at roughly $102 million and includes a diamond-and-emerald necklace Napoleon presented to Empress Marie-Louise, pieces associated with 19th-century queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense, and Empress Eugénie’s pearl-and-diamond tiara.

Arrests and evidence

Police arrested five people on Wednesday in connection with the case; three have since been released without charge. Investigators say one person arrested was linked to the heist by DNA and is suspected of belonging to the four-person team that used a freight lift truck to access the Apollo Gallery. Earlier this week two men, aged 34 and 39 from Aubervilliers, were charged with theft by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy. Prosecutor Beccuau said those two gave "minimalist" statements and "partially admitted" their roles. One was stopped at Charles-de-Gaulle Airport with a one-way ticket to Algeria and had DNA matching a scooter used in the getaway.

Investigation and timeline

Beccuau described an "exceptional mobilization" of investigators: roughly 100 personnel working seven days a week, about 150 forensic samples analyzed and 189 items sealed as evidence. Prosecutors say the robbers completed the theft in under eight minutes. Four people used a freight lift to reach the gallery; two forced open a window and cut into two display cases with disc cutters while the others stood guard, then fled on two scooters toward eastern Paris. Police and museum security arrived nearly simultaneously, preventing the thieves from torching the lift and destroying evidence.

So far investigators have found no clear sign of inside help, though they are not ruling out a wider network beyond the four people captured on camera. Under French law, information about ongoing investigations is largely confidential under the "secret d'instruction," and only the prosecutor can speak publicly about developments.

Related incident

Separately, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said six people were arrested after an explosives-fueled robbery at a gold-refining laboratory in Lyon; officials said the estimated €12 million (about $13.9 million) haul was recovered.

Note: All facts above are based on statements from the Paris prosecutor and law enforcement; names and many biographical details have not been released to protect the integrity of the investigation.