The two men are from Seine-Saint-Denis, located near Paris, according to French media reports. They were already known to the police as seasoned burglars and may have been acting on behalf of someone else. The two are currently being interrogated, and their pre-trial detention could last up to 96 hours.
Four burglars entered the museum last Sunday through a goods lift accessible from the street. They carried out their theft using an angle grinder, completing the operation in just a few minutes.
The eight stolen jewels are collectively valued at approximately 88 million euros. There are concerns that the thieves may dismantle the pieces and sell the diamonds individually. The jewels that remained after the burglary have been transferred to the vault of the Banque de France.
The burglars left behind items including a helmet, an angle grinder, gloves, and a vest at the Louvre. The French police are analyzing over one hundred and fifty DNA samples, fingerprints, and other evidence collected from the Parisian museum.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau stated that she is optimistic and has “cautious hope” that the jewels will be recovered. She anticipates that results may provide leads in the coming days.
It is not known whether any jewels were seized during the arrests.
