Two suspects accused of stealing jewels from the Louvre museum in Paris have partially recognised their involvement in the robbery.
Four hooded thieves made off with jewels worth around $102 million after breaking into the world’s most-visited museum on the morning of October 19, exposing security lapses at the site.
Jewels stolen during the heist have not yet been found, the Paris prosecutor said on Wednesday, but explained two suspects arrested at the weekend had “partially” admitted taking part in the heist.
Two men, both in their thirties and with criminal records, were arrested on Saturday. One of the suspects had been attempting to board a flight to Algeria.
There was no evidence to suggest at this point that the robbery was an inside job, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau told a news conference.
"I want to remain hopeful that [the jewels] will be found and they can be brought back to the Louvre, and more broadly to the nation", Ms Beccuau said.
The thieves stole eight precious pieces from the Louvre's collection, exposing security lapses as they broke into the museum using a crane to smash an upstairs window during opening hours. They escaped on motorbikes.
The museum's cameras failed to detect the intruders in time to prevent the robbery, which took between six to seven minutes and was carried out by four people who were unarmed, but who threatened the guards with angle grinders.
Security shortcomings at the Louvre forced the museum to transfer some of its most precious jewels to the Bank of France under secret police escort, according to French radio RTL.
News of the robbery reverberated around the world, prompting soul-searching in France over what some viewed as a national humiliation.
