The Louvre, the world’s largest and most visited art museum, was robbed on October 19th. Four masked thieves stole eight of France’s crown jewels in under 8 minutes and in broad daylight. Only two suspects have been apprehended, and the stolen goods remain missing.
Not only were the pieces incredibly valuable, they represented French culture and history as they were worn by French royalty, with one piece owned by Napoleon. President Emmanuel Macron of France described the theft as an “attack on a heritage that we cherish because it is our history.”
The heist began when the gang broke in through a window into the gallery of Apollo, where the jewels were stored. The opulent window, made of glass and wood, served aesthetic purposes rather than effective security. The thieves used power tools to break into the cases in less than four minutes.
It is also believed that they had an inside connection. Forensic evidence revealed contact between the thieves and a member of security before the robbery. Authorities also speculate that the thieves had a detailed knowledge of the museum’s security systems that could only be obtained through a member of the staff.
While the heist was largely successful, the robbers failed to destroy all evidence and dropped one of the pieces during their escape. Despite these shortcomings, they still managed to flee on scooters, having carried out one of the most daring art heists in modern history.
This crime reflects a broader trend of art theft, with the most recent one in Paris occurring on September 16th. Europe is a hotspot for these crimes, reinforcing the need for renovation of the Louvre’s security system. The success of this heist is expected to inspire many copycat versions, underscoring the urgency for updated security protocols.
The museum was shockingly underprepared for this crime. Not only were there no cameras monitoring the balcony that the perpetrators entered through, they were able to leave the same way, highlighting the slow response time of security. Louvre director Laurence Des Cars acknowledged the outdated infrastructure and announced plans to update security systems to defend against modern threats.
The heist has gone viral online. Major brands such as IKEA have utilized it for marketing, and people have even dressed as the robbers for Halloween. The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive, partly due to its cinematic nature of 4 thieves managing to break into the biggest museum and ride away on scooters, and partly due to the lightheartedness it brings to the news cycle in comparison with the endless violence.