PARIS — Five more individuals have been arrested in connection with the October 19 jewel heist at the Louvre Museum, according to Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccuau. The arrests occurred late Wednesday night during separate police operations in Paris and the surrounding Seine-Saint-Denis region. The identities of the suspects have not been disclosed.

One of the newly arrested suspects is believed to be part of a four-person team that executed the robbery in broad daylight. Two other members of this team were arrested the previous weekend and have since been charged with criminal conspiracy and theft as part of an organized gang. Both suspects have partially admitted their involvement in the crime.

Beccuau stated that searches conducted following the arrests did not yield the stolen jewels, which are valued at approximately 88 million euros, or $102 million. The robbery took less than eight minutes, during which the thieves forced open a window and used power tools to cut into display cases, making off with eight pieces of the French crown jewels.

The daylight theft has raised concerns about security at the Louvre, prompting discussions about how France protects its cultural treasures. One of the suspects arrested is a 34-year-old Algerian national who has lived in France since 2010. He was apprehended at Charles de Gaulle Airport while attempting to board a flight to Algeria without a return ticket. His DNA was found on one of the scooters used by the robbers.

Another suspect, aged 39, was arrested at his home in Aubervilliers. He has a history of theft and his DNA was discovered on a glass case that held the jewels, as well as on items left behind by the thieves. Video surveillance footage confirmed that at least four individuals were involved in the heist.

The suspects arrived at the museum in a truck equipped with a freight lift, which two of them used to access a window. They fled the scene on two motor scooters along the Seine River toward eastern Paris, where additional vehicles were parked.

Beccuau indicated that there is no evidence suggesting that the robbers had accomplices within the museum staff. She also made a public appeal to anyone in possession of the stolen jewels, stating, "These jewels are now, of course, unsellable. Anyone who buys them would be guilty of concealment of stolen goods. There’s still time to give them back."

Under French law, details of ongoing investigations are typically kept confidential to protect police work and the privacy of victims. Only the prosecutor is authorized to publicly discuss developments in such cases, and violations of this protocol can lead to prosecution. Despite this, some information has been leaked in high-profile cases, raising concerns about the integrity of the investigation.