Authorities announce progress in Louvre jewellery heist investigation

Two suspects in the brazen jewellery heist at the Louvre Museum in Paris have reportedly ‘partially’ confessed to their roles in the crime.

Recent reporting on the ongoing search for France’s Crown Jewels has highlighted comments from prosecutor Laure Beccuau regarding two suspects. A 39-year-old man was arrested shortly after the raid, and officials indicated that DNA evidence connected him to the crime.

Beccuau said the individual was known to police for several thefts, and his DNA was found on one of the glass cases where the jewellery was displayed and on items the thieves left behind.

The jewellery has not been recovered, and experts fear it may have already been broken down and recut.

"These jewels are now, of course, unsellable. Anyone who buys them would be guilty of concealment of stolen goods," Beccuau said.

"It's still time to give them back."

The stolen collection includes items once owned by Emperor Napoleon, his nephew Napoleon III, and Empresses Marie-Louise and Eugénie. The estimated value of the stolen items is around $USD102 million ($AUD156 million).

In recent weeks, French authorities have acknowledged significant gaps in the Louvre's security. Paris Police Chief Patrice Faure told lawmakers that aging systems and slow-moving fixes created weak points in the museum's security.