Erica Siaulnsky, Staff Writer
The Louvre Museum, one of the most visited museums in the world, experienced an approximately 102 million dollar jewelry heist; police are still on the search for any leads.
On October 19, 2025 at around 9:30 am shortly after the Louvre opened, a group of the 4 individuals who would be identified as the robbers, arrived with a vehicle-mounted mechanical lift. They used this to access a balcony close to the River Seine, which the Louvre sits along. Two thieves got inside by cutting through a window with power tools, with which they threatened the unarmed guards inside, who were quick to agree and leave the premises. Around 9:34 the thieves proceeded to cut through two different glass cases that held valuable historical jewelry.
Footage captured by a French Broadcaster seems to have recorded one of the thieves dressed in a neon yellow vest, using the same power tools used to enter the building, cutting into the glass case. It is believed that they wore the vests in an attempt to “blend in” and allowed them to appear as construction workers when entering the Louver. CCTV footage confirms that it took the thieves no more than four minutes at most to complete the act. At impressive speed the thieves managed to steal almost 103 million dollars worth of valuable historical jewelry.
Eight valuable items were taken, and these eight items were nothing short of priceless in both historic value and jewelry value. The items included a tiara, a necklace and a pair of earrings worn by Queen Hortense and Queen Marie-Amélie. Along with an emerald necklace and earrings given as a wedding gift by Napoleon Bonaparte to his second wife Marie-Louise. Along with a pearl and diamond tiara and diamond brooch of Empress Eugénie, the wife of Napoleon III. And lastly, a brooch known as the ‘reliquary brooch’ also worn by Empress Eugénie.
The heist seemed to have reached a bump in the road, as the Eugénie crown was found apparently damaged and lost on the escape route as discovered and confirmed by police. Prosecutors also revealed that the two thieves who entered the museum left behind equipment including one of the vests used, which is in custody of the police.
By 9:35, word had spread around the museum that something had happened in the Gallery of Apollo. But no one could imagine the magnitude of what had been stolen. Guests were instantly ushered away from the area, and it was clear something had occurred. The thieves made their way out around 9:38, before leaving they attempted to burn the mechanical ladders used in their entrance to the museum. It is believed that they escaped on scooters awaiting their exit outside the museum.
On Sunday, October 26th, two suspects were identified and taken into custody.
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