On Sunday morning, Oct. 12, a small group of thieves stole eight historic crown jewels from the Louvre Museum in Paris, France.
The robbery took place in broad daylight and lasted 8 minutes. Around 9:30 a.m., four masked robbers, dressed as construction workers, arrived at the south side of the museum and used a vehicle-mounted ladder to climb through a second-story window. Once inside, they used power tools to break into the Apollo Gallery, where the jewels were displayed. lou
The robbers smashed glass cases and stole $102 million USD’s worth of jewelry. Standing as symbols of French power and prestige, with association to famous historical figures such as Napoleon and his empresses, the jewels’ historical significance made them priceless. These included a necklace and earrings belonging to Empress Marie-Louise, the second wife of Napoleon I; a diadem, brooch and decorative bow owned by Empress Eugénie de Montijo, wife of Napoleon III; and a tiara, necklace and a single earring worn by Queen Marie-Amélie, the last queen of France.
When the alarms went off, the thieves quickly prepared their escape. They descended the truck ladder and fled on motorbikes, leaving behind their truck and equipment. Fortunately, the thieves dropped Empress Eugénie’s diadem during their escape. Adorned with 212 pearls and 1,998 diamonds set in silver, the diadem stands as one of the most valuable pieces of the stolen jewelry. It was damaged, but still repairable, according to experts.
A team of nearly 100 investigators worked on the case. Authorities believe the robbery was carried out by a professional criminal group, and that the people involved may extend beyond the four who entered the museum. Several suspects have been arrested throughout the investigation.
On Oct. 25, two of the main suspects, aged 34 and 39, were arrested while trying to flee the country. One suspect’s DNA matched evidence recovered at the scene. Both partially admitted to their involvement in the crime and remain in police custody.
A few days later, on Oct. 29, the police made five more arrests. One of the five was suspected to be part of the four-man robbery crew, with DNA linking him directly to the crime. The remaining four are believed to have helped plan the operation or possess key information about the case.
Finally, on Nov. 25, the fourth member of the masked robbers was arrested. The man, age 39, has a criminal record with six previous convictions. Police now believe they have captured the entire four-person crew.
None of the stolen jewels has been recovered yet, but law enforcement is actively working to obtain the missing jewelry.