Louvre jewel heist suspects arrested
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Tourists are pictured in front of the Louvre Pyramid in Paris, France, on Oct. 22. Photo: Zhang Baihui/Xinhua via Getty Images
French police have arrested suspects in connection to last week's brazen Louvre heist, where thieves made off with millions in stolen jewels.
The big picture: The bandits were in and out in mere minutes — escaping on scooters with their historic loot that France's interior minister described as "priceless."
Driving the news: French investigators made the arrests Saturday evening, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau confirmed in a statement, roughly one week after the daylight heist stunned the world.
- One of the men arrested was attempting to leave the country from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.
- The statement did not disclose the number of people arrested or whether any of the stolen items were recovered.
Catch up quick: The team of thieves broke into the Galerie d'Apollon (Gallery of Apollo), where the French crown jewels and historic hardstone vessels are displayed.
- The thieves entered through a window using a cherrypicker. They entered at 9:34 a.m. local time last Sunday, about half an hour after the museum opened.
- They used angle grinders to slice through the window and, once inside, cut the glass from display cases to steal jewelry from inside. They were out by 9:38 a.m. and made their escape along the Seine on scooters.
- The stolen items include a tiara from the jewelry set of Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense, a necklace and an earring from their sapphire set and Empress Eugénie's tiara, among other pieces.
- The museum estimated the value of the stolen items topped 88 million euros, roughly $102 million.
Friction point: Investigators believe four suspects were involved in the crime, which the museum's director labeled a "terrible failure" of security.
- French media reported that two suspects were arrested Saturday, but Beccuau rebuked the "hasty disclosure" of information "by informed persons" amid an ongoing investigation, per a translated statement.
Go deeper: How the thieves pulled off the stunning Louvre heist
