2 suspects in Louvre heist placed under formal investigation

PARIS - Two men suspected of involvement in the recent jewel heist at the Louvre Museum have been placed under formal investigation and remanded in custody, French broadcaster BFMTV reported Wednesday evening.

The suspects, both in their 30s, were detained on Saturday evening and have "partially admitted" their involvement in the crime, Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccuau said earlier in the day, adding that the stolen jewels remain missing.

One suspect was arrested at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport as he attempted to board an international flight, while the other was taken into custody shortly afterward in a suburb north of Paris.

Beccuau said investigators have not ruled out the involvement of "a wider network beyond the four perpetrators identified by surveillance footage". More than 150 forensic examinations have been carried out "with the utmost urgency", she added.

Eight pieces of French crown jewels were stolen from the museum on Oct 19 by a group of burglars. More than 100 investigators have been mobilized to track down them and recover the missing items, according to local media.

The museum reopened three days after the heist, which involved jewelry valued at about 88 million euros (102 million US dollars).