In broad daylight, four thieves pulled off what experts are calling the most audacious museum heist of the century. On October 19th, four thieves entered the Apollo Gallery of the Louvre Museum at approximately 9:30 a.m.. They stole eight pieces of the French Crown jewels, estimated to be worth about $102 million USD, in just under 8 minutes. The world and social media were in shock at how they managed to steal from one of the most secure museums in such a short time.
How Did They Do It?
According to BBC News, the theft occurred in broad daylight when four thieves, disguised as construction workers, “… wielding power tools broke into the world’s most visited museum in broad daylight, before escaping on scooters…” At the time of the theft, it was 9:30 a.m., and the Louvre Museum had already been open for 30 minutes. That’s when the four suspects arrived with power tools, a truck-mounted mechanical lift, and two scooters. Using the vehicle’s ladder, two of the thieves reached the second-floor balcony overlooking the Seine River (leading into the Galerie d’Apollon) and broke a window with an angle grinder.
The time is now about 9:34 a.m. At this time, the thieves encountered guards, whom they threatened into evacuating the premises. Using the same angle grinder, the thieves smashed two display cases that held the crown jewels. At 9:37, the security alarm was triggered as the rest of the security and staff were made aware of the theft. At 9:38, the suspects climbed down the ladder and used the two scooters waiting outside to escape. In accordance with ABC News, the suspects were last seen “heading southeast toward the A6 highway and the city of Lyon” at this time. Furthermore, “In their hasty escape, the robbers dropped one of the stolen pieces of jewelry… the crown was recovered, but was damaged.”
Later, police found two angle grinders, a blowtorch, gasoline, gloves, a walkie-talkie, and a blanket at the scene, along with the fallen crown and an abandoned vest dropped by one of the thieves blocks away from the Louvre. It took only 4 minutes inside the Apollo Gallery for the thieves to steal 8 of the French Crown jewels.
What Was Stolen?
According to AP News, eight jewels belonging to the 19th-century Emperor Napoleon III and his wife, Empress Eugéne, were stolen that day.
- Empress Eugéne’s Diamond Bow Brooch from the Second French Empire
- Diadem of Empress Eugéne from the Second French Empire
- Emerald Earrings from Marie-Louise Parure from the First French Empire
- Emerald Necklace from Marie-Louise Parure from the First French Empire
- A single Sapphire Earring of Queen Marie-Amelie and Hortense from the First French Empire
- Sapphire Necklace of Queens Marie-Amelie and Hortense from the First French Empire
- Sapphire Diadem of Queens Marie-Amelie and Hortense from the First French Empire
- Reliquary Brooch from the Second French Empire
These crown jewels are estimated to be worth about $102 million USD.
What Happened to The Perpetrators?
ABC News states that on October 24th, 150 traces of evidence were analyzed, including fingerprints from the crime scene. On October 25th, a 34-year-old man was arrested at 10:00 a.m. at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport while trying to board a plane bound for Algeria, police said, while police nabbed the second suspect (a 36-year-old man) as he was about to travel to Mali.” Another suspect (a 38-year-old woman) was arrested near his home in Paris. The fourth suspect has yet to be found. Authorities say the investigation remains active as they work to recover the remaining jewels and track down the final suspect.
