Authorities in France have arrested two men suspected of taking part in the spectacular robbery of jewels from the Louvre Museum a week ago, sources close to the investigation reported on Sunday.

One suspect was detained at Charles-de-Gaulle Airport as he was about to board a flight abroad, while the other was arrested shortly afterward in Seine-Saint-Denis, on the outskirts of Paris. 

The Paris Prosecutor’s Office confirmed the arrests but criticized the “premature” disclosure of the information by the French press. “I deeply regret the hasty release of this information by informed individuals, showing no regard for the ongoing investigation,” said prosecutor Laure Beccuau in an official statement.

“This revelation can only harm the efforts of the hundreds of investigators working to recover the stolen jewels and identify all the perpetrators,” she added. 

The operation was carried out by the Brigade for the Repression of Organized Crime (BRB) and the Central Office for the Fight Against the Trafficking of Cultural Property (OCBC).

The two men were taken to the BRB headquarters in Paris’s 17th district, where they remain in provisional custody, which may last up to 96 hours. 

How events unfolded at the Louvre

Both suspects, in their 30s, were already known to police for previous thefts and are believed to be part of a four-member gang that stole eight pieces from France’s crown jewels, worth more than 100 million dollars. 

The thieves reportedly gained access to the museum using a street-mounted lift, broke the display cases with a power saw, and fled on motorcycles.

Among the stolen pieces were a pearl tiara that once belonged to Empress Eugénie de Montijo and a sapphire necklace and earrings set owned by Queen Marie-Amélie. 

Some items have been partially recovered, including Empress Eugénie’s crown, which the thieves are believed to have dropped during their escape. Authorities continue to search for the remaining two suspects and the missing jewels.