2 men arrested in Louvre heist to be charged, but jewels not found

Two men who were arrested over jewels stolen in a brazen heist at the Louvre museum this month will be charged with theft by an organised gang, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said at a press conference in Paris.

Prosecutors will ask that the men be jailed while the investigation continues, she said, adding that the royal necklaces, tiaras and earrings that were stolen have not been found yet.

The pair will also be charged with criminal conspiracy.

Both offences come with lengthy prison terms, she said.

Beccuau described the stages of the theft, and some of the techniques used to find the two men who were arrested, including getting DNA samples from a scooter used in the getaway for one and from a broken window and objects dropped as they fled the scene for another.

She declined, however, to go into detail on avenues police are exploring to find other members of the group that carried out the theft or to get back the jewels themselves.