French police detain two suspects in Louvre heist

French authorities have arrested two suspects in connection with the unprecedented £76 million jewellery heist at the Louvre, one week after the daring robbery, The Sun reports.

One suspect was apprehended while attempting to board a flight to Algeria from Charles de Gaulle Airport, according to reports. Both individuals are originally from Seine-Saint-Denis, a suburb of Paris, and are believed to be part of a four-member gang that carried out the theft on October 18.

The robbery involved the thieves using a furniture lift to reach the gilded Galerie d’Apollon, where the jewels were kept. Over just seven minutes, the gang stole nine pieces from the Napoleon and Empress Joséphine collection, although one item was dropped in the rush.

Investigators revealed that digital forensic evidence suggests a possible inside job, with one of the museum’s security staff allegedly cooperating with the thieves. A source told The Telegraph:

“Sensitive information was passed on about the museum’s security, which is how they were aware of the breach.”

Authorities continue to investigate the remaining two members of the gang and are assessing the full extent of the security breach.

The Louvre, one of the world’s most iconic museums, houses priceless art and historical artifacts, and the heist has raised serious concerns about museum security and insider collaboration.

The robbery occurred on October 19, 2025, around 9:30 a.m., just as the museum opened to visitors, in the opulent Galerie d'Apollon housing French crown jewels and Napoleonic-era artifacts. Four masked intruders, dressed as construction workers in yellow hi-vis vests, used a crane-mounted basket lift from a nearby truck to breach a second-floor window, smashing display cases with angle grinders and a blowtorch in under seven minutes before fleeing on motorbikes. No visitors or staff were harmed, though five guards were nearby and activated alarms while prioritising evacuations.  

By Khagan Isayev