The two burglar suspects arrested over the Louvre jewellery heist were known to the police before the theft that shocked France, a prosecutor has said.

On Saturday, the pair – both with criminal records – were arrested on suspicion of stealing £76 million worth of jewels from the museum.

Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau told a news conference that the pair face preliminary charges of theft committed by an organised gang and criminal conspiracy.

They are expected to be held in provisional detention.

One of the suspects, a 39-year-old French-Algerian man was arrested on Saturday night at his home in Aubervilliers. Ms Beccuau said: ‘There is no evidence to suggest that he was about to leave the country.’

His DNA was found on one of the glass cases where the jewels were displayed and on one

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