Louvre Museum arrests: Two arrested after chainsaw raiders stole France’s $157 million jewels

Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the audacious $157 million Louvre heist — just a week after chainsaw-wielding robbers made off with a trove of jewels.

According to Le Parisien, one of the men was detained at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris on Saturday as he attempted to board a flight to Algeria.

Both suspects are reportedly from Seine-Saint-Denis, in the north of Paris.

The pair are alleged to be part of a four-man gang that stormed the iconic Louvre Museum on October 18, making off with a haul of priceless jewels.

The arrests come amid growing suspicions the heist was an inside job, after police uncovered digital forensic evidence suggesting a member of the museum’s security team had been in contact with the thieves.

“We have found digital forensic evidence that shows there was cooperation with one of the museum’s security guards and 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,” the source added.

Armed with that insider knowledge, the thieves reportedly used a furniture lift to reach the Louvre’s facade before breaking into the gilded Galerie d’Apollon which is home to the museum’s prized jewel collection.

The thieves broke into the world-famous Paris museum using a crane-mounted ladder to reach a second-floor balcony.

From there, they allegedly used an angle grinder to slice through a window and enter the Apollo Gallery, just rooms away from the iconic Mona Lisa painting.

In a heist that lasted just seven minutes, the gang snatched nine glittering pieces from the Napoleon and Empress Joséphine collection — though one was dropped as they made their getaway.

A now-viral video captures the suspects moments later, descending from the balcony in a slow, truck-mounted basket lift.

The daring raid has since forced the Louvre to move its remaining jewels into a high-security vault, after the daylight break-in exposed major weaknesses in the museum’s protection systems.

Many in France and around the world have been baffled by how four hooded assailants were able to drive up to the world’s most visited museum, smash a second-floor window and make off with a handsome booty without getting caught.

Astonishingly, the Louvre’s cameras failed to detect the thieves in time to prevent their audacious daylight heist.

French Ministers have admitted that serious security lapses occurred.

“We did not detect the thieves’ arrival early enough,” Laurence des Cars, the Louvre director, told a Senate committee, blaming it on the fact that there were not enough cameras outside monitoring the perimeter of the museum.

“Despite our efforts, despite our hard work every day, we were defeated,” she said.

The exterior security cameras do not offer full coverage of the museum’s facade, she said, adding that the window through which the thieves broke in was not monitored by CCTV.

Ms des Cars offered her resignation but it has been refused by Culture Minister Rachida Dati, who has also come under fire as recriminations flew after the robbery.