Two additional suspects have been formally charged in connection with last month’s audacious jewel theft at Paris’s iconic Louvre Museum, the city’s prosecutor’s office announced on Saturday.
According to officials, a 38-year-old woman has been charged with complicity in organised theft and participation in a criminal conspiracy, while a 37-year-old man faces charges of theft and conspiracy. Both suspects, whose names have not been disclosed, denied any role in the €88 million heist that shocked France, reports BBC.
Earlier, two men had already been charged in the same case after partially admitting involvement in the daylight robbery, which took place on 19 October. Investigators say four men executed the swift operation, escaping within minutes with eight valuable jewels — though one crown was dropped during their getaway.
The 38-year-old woman lived in La Courneuve, a northern suburb of Paris. She was ordered to remain in custody pending further investigation. The male suspect, who has a prior record for robbery, was also placed under pre-trial detention.
Under France’s judicial system, being placed “under investigation” means the suspects may eventually face trial as the examining magistrate continues to review both incriminating and exculpatory evidence. Authorities justified keeping the woman in custody to prevent possible collusion or tampering with evidence.
The 37-year-old man is believed to have been one of two lookouts stationed outside the Louvre during the theft. Police said one suspect detained last week was tied to the crime scene through DNA evidence. The fourth suspect involved in the operation remains at large.
Three others arrested earlier in the week were released without charge.
According to prosecutors, the robbers arrived around 9:30am, shortly after the museum opened. Using a stolen vehicle equipped with a mechanical lift, they accessed the Galerie d’Apollon through a balcony overlooking the River Seine. With a disc cutter, they smashed open glass display cases containing the priceless jewels and fled within four minutes on scooters, later switching to getaway cars.
Investigators fear that the missing jewels have already been smuggled abroad, although the prosecutor handling the case said she remains optimistic about their recovery.
France’s Culture Minister Rachida Dati said preliminary findings suggest museum authorities had long underestimated the risks of theft and intrusion. She promised to introduce stricter security measures by the end of the year.
Following the heist, it was revealed that the only security camera monitoring the Galerie d’Apollon had been pointed away from the balcony used by the thieves. Louvre President Laurence des Cars acknowledged shortcomings in the museum’s security but denied negligence, saying she had repeatedly warned of the need for greater investment since taking office in 2021.
Des Cars added that perimeter surveillance around the Louvre is the responsibility of the city of Paris, not the museum itself.
Critics, however, have accused her of prioritising her ambitious “New Renaissance” renovation plan aimed at modernising the museum and building a new gallery for the Mona Lisa over basic security.
In the wake of the theft, the Louvre has transferred several of its most valuable jewels to the Bank of France as authorities intensify security at major cultural institutions across the country.
