The Louvre Heist:
Seven Minutes to Steal Two Centuries of History
Paris, October 19, 2025
One of the world’s most famous museums woke up in shock.
In a cinematic operation worthy of Arsène Lupin, a team of four thieves broke into the Louvre Museum on a quiet Sunday morning and stole eight royal jewels of priceless value.
It all happened in just seven minutes.
A Carefully Timed Operation
Around 9:30 a.m., four masked men wearing construction vests parked a maintenance truck on the side of the Louvre, near the Seine River.
According to investigators, they used the basket lift and extendable ladder to gain access to a second floor balcony window leading to the Apollo Gallery — home to the jewels of France’s former empresses.
Witnesses say the group acted with calm precision.
Two of the thieves climbed the lift toward the upper windows while the others secured the area with traffic cones, pretending to be workers performing repairs.
Breaking In and Threatening Guards
Using power saws and a blowtorch, the intruders smashed through security glass and entered the gallery.
During the operation, they threatened the guards, though no one was injured.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau confirmed that the alarm system was active, but the criminals managed to bypass it and flee before police arrived.
What They Stole
The thieves knew exactly what they were after.
They took eight royal pieces of incalculable historical value:
- The sapphire diadem of Queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense
- The sapphire necklace of the same set
- A pair of sapphire earrings
- The emerald necklace of Empress Marie-Louise
- A pair of emerald earrings of Marie-Louise
- A reliquary brooch
- A diadem of Empress Eugénie
- A large corsage bow brooch of Empress Eugénie
They also tried to steal Empress Eugénie’s crown, made of 1,354 diamonds and 56 emeralds, but the item was later found damaged near the museum.
A High-Speed Getaway
By 9:38 a.m., the group was gone.
According to police, they escaped on two powerful T-Max scooters, heading toward the A6 highway.
The entire operation lasted exactly seven minutes.
At the scene, investigators found two saws, a blowtorch, gasoline, a radio, and a yellow safety vest — all evidence of a highly coordinated plan.
“A Highly Organized Commando”
Prosecutor Laure Beccuau described the heist as a clear case of organized crime.
“The method shows a high degree of planning and precision,” she told BFMTV.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed that the Brigade de Répression du Banditisme (BRB) is leading the investigation to identify the thieves and recover the stolen treasures.
🇫🇷 Public Outrage in France
The robbery sparked outrage across France.
President Emmanuel Macron posted on X (formerly Twitter):
“We will find the works, and the perpetrators will be brought to justice. Every resource is being mobilized to recover what belongs to France.”
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo expressed support for the museum’s staff, while opposition leader Jordan Bardella called the theft “a national humiliation.”
Cultural expert Stéphane Bern described the event as “a symbolic attack on the heart of French heritage.”
A Wound to France’s Symbol
The Louvre Museum, home to the Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo, is the world’s most visited museum.
This theft is not only a material loss but also a symbolic wound to French history.
Though the famous Regent Diamond, weighing over 140 carats, remains safe, the stolen pieces represent centuries of imperial legacy — and are considered irreplaceable in historical and cultural value.
A Mystery Worthy of Lupin
With the thieves still at large and no solid leads on the jewels’ whereabouts, the case is already being called one of the greatest art heists of the 21st century.
Between fact and fiction, the “Louvre Heist” feels like something out of an Arsène Lupin story — only this time, it’s all too real.
References
“Le point sur le vol des bijoux de la Couronne au Louvre” – La Tribune de l’Art (French)
“Louvre Museum heist: Jewels with ‘inestimable’ value stolen from Napoleon collection” – ABC News (English)
“The Louvre heist raises decades old questions about museum security” – France 24 (English)
“Cambriolage au Louvre: 8 bijoux ‘d’une valeur inestimable’ volés” – BFM TV (French)
“Louvre museum robbery: how the thieves broke in, what they stole and what happens next” – The Guardian (English)
“Louvre museum major heist took between six and seven minutes” – Euronews (English)
“Vol des bijoux du Louvre: les musées face à la convoitise grandissante” – France 24 (French)
“Tyver stjal Napoleons smykker – ødelagt krone funnet” – VG (Norwegian)
“Louvre-Einbruch: Frankreich jagt die Juwelenräuber” – Die Welt (German)
“Louvre Robbery: How Thieves Carried Out An Audacious Heist of ‘Priceless’ Napoleonic Jewels” – Time (English)