In brief
In a significant development concerning the recent jewel heist at the Louvre Museum, five additional suspects have been arrested by French authorities. Public prosecutor Laure Beccuau reported that coordinated raids in the Paris region led to these detentions, revealing connections to the initial robbery team spotted on CCTV. Investigative efforts are ongoing as authorities seek to uncover how the crime was executed and the potential involvement of a larger network.
Five more suspects have been arrested over their involvement in the Louvre heist, Paris' public prosecutor has said.
They were detained on Wednesday night in the Paris region during coordinated raids, according to Laure Beccuau.
One of the suspects is thought to be part of the four-man team that carried out the heist, who were seen on CCTV.
Two of the other alleged thieves have already been arrested and have partially recognised their involvement in the brazen theft, while the fourth person has not yet been caught.
It is not clear what role the other newly arrested people allegedly played in the theft, but Beccuau told French radio station RTL on Thursday that they may eventually inform us about how the incident took place.
Beccuau said the arrests had been made in areas in and around Paris, including the suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis.
Phones and other objects found on the suspects during the raid were allowing investigators to study encrypted messages, she added.
Those arrested can be detained for up to four days before being charged or released.
French investigators are not giving many more details away at this stage but Beccuau said that DNA from one of those arrested on Wednesday night could be linked to the crime scene.
Items worth €88m (£76m; $102m) were taken from the Louvre - the world's most-visited museum - on 19 October, when four thieves broke into the building in broad daylight. The precious jewels have not been recovered yet.
