LOUVRE HEIST MASTERMIND DISPLEASED WITH €88M HAUL, SUSPECTS TELL INVESTIGATORS

Two men charged with stealing €88 million worth of crown jewels from the Louvre have told investigators that the alleged mastermind behind the operation expressed dissatisfaction with the haul. Abdoulaye N and Ghelamallah A claimed the organiser believed the thieves "could have taken more" despite the substantial value of the items seized. Both suspects declined to identify the alleged mastermind or name any accomplices, citing fears of reprisal. Investigators have not yet confirmed whether other parties were involved in the October theft.

The break-in occurred in broad daylight at the Paris museum's Apollo gallery. The two suspects gained access via a furniture lift to a first-floor balcony, then smashed a window and used a power cutter to remove eight pieces of jewellery, including tiaras and necklaces. According to the suspects' account, the alleged mastermind recruited them only days before the operation took place. The theft has been recorded as one of the largest jewellery heists from the institution.

The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities seeking to establish the full scope of the conspiracy. The suspects' claims about the mastermind's alleged dissatisfaction represent the first substantive details to emerge about the planning and coordination of the heist. No additional arrests have been announced at this stage.