In less than eight minutes, several world-famous jewels were stolen by masked thieves from the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, on October 19, 2025, only thirty minutes after the renowned museum opened its doors, according to CNN News.
Early in the morning, the thieves used “a truck mounted ladder to gain access to the Apollo Gallery” and an angle grinder to force open the window, said CNN News.
These robbers reportedly used the same angle grinder to threaten Louvre guards and staff.
The police found “a blowtorch, gasoline, gloves, a walkie talkie, a blanket, and crown” at the scene of the crime, according to Le Parisien News.
Empress Eugenie de Montijo’s crown found at the crime scene was damaged and dropped by the thieves when they escaped on motorized scooters.
“The ornate gold piece… features 1,354 diamonds and 56 emeralds,” according to CNN News. While this priceless crown was recovered – albeit broken- the other seven pieces remain unretrieved.
“A tiara, necklace, and single earring from the sapphire set belonging to Queen Marie-Amelie and Queen Hortense” were also among the stolen pieces, said BBC News.
Many of the unrecovered jewels belonged to Empress Eugenie, including “a diadem, brooch, and decorative bow,” according to The Guardian.
A sapphire necklace, tiara, and single earring, dating back to the beginning of the 19th century, were stolen as well.
According to The New York Times, “The Louvre says it is not known who commissioned or created the series of sapphire items kept in the gallery” that have been worn by “Queen Hortense… and Queen Marie-Amélie” among others.
On October 25, just six days after the heist, two thieves were arrested.
According to The Guardian, “one suspect was arrested at the Charles de Gaulle Airport while the other was arrested just outside of Paris.”
Just four days after the first two arrests took place, a man and women, believed to be romantically involved, were also arrested.
As of now, only one suspect’s name has been released to the public.
The Guardian reported, “One of the men arrested on suspicion of stealing… crown jewels from the Louvre museum is a minor social media star… who has worked as a security guard at the Pompidou centre… identified by justice officials as Abdoulaye N.”
Regardless, all suspects have so far “denied involvement in the heist,” according to ABC News.
While the jewels cannot be sold as a whole without alarming authorities, “they can be disassembled, they can be cut, [and] they can be sold on the black market,” said CNN News.
This would make the stolen items significantly more difficult to locate.
In addition to rising concerns over the unknown state of the jewels, critics have expressed unease regarding security measures.
The art work housed in the Louvre attracts thousands of tourists and locals alike per day, making it one of the busiest museums in the world.
However, due to “[constant] renovations, repair work, and scaffolding for fundraising events… [it’s] hard for the employees to spot suspicious behavior,” according to The New York Times.
Unbeknownst to many, the Louvre has fallen victim to heists in the past- the most infamous being the Mona Lisa Heist of 1911.
“The Mona Lisa wasn’t actually as famous as it was until the 20th century- it actually took being stolen from the Louvre that truly immortalized its place in history,” according to Town and Country Magazine.
While the Mona Lisa was eventually returned in 1913 when its Thief Vincenzo Peruggia tried to sell it, not all pieces previously stolen from the Louvre have been recovered.
In fact, according to NPR News, “in December 1976, three masked men broke into the Louvre and stole what the New York Times described as ‘the priceless diamond-studded sword of King Charles X’… [which] has never been recovered.”