Paris Louvre Robbery: A Highly Organised Gang Takes Just Seven Minutes to Steal Priceless Jewellery

Strategic Insights -

A brazen daylight robbery took place at the world-famous Paris Louvre museum on Sunday morning, just as it was preparing to open. The thieves, posing as workmen, targeted a wing of the museum by the Seine River, where construction work was ongoing. They used a hand-held disc cutter to cut through a window and a chainsaw to gain access to display cabinets, stealing nine priceless jewels in just seven minutes. Among the stolen items was the Eugénie Crown, a Second Empire piece adorned with thousands of diamonds and emeralds, which once belonged to Napoleon and his family.

Key Takeaways:

  • The thieves, described as a "highly organised gang," took just seven minutes to steal nine priceless jewels from the Louvre museum.
  • The gang used Yamaha Tmax scooters and a flat-bed truck with an extendable ladder to gain access to the museum.
  • Two of the thieves were dressed as workers, wearing helmets and hi-vis yellow vests, and used a hand-held disc cutter to cut through a window.
  • A chainsaw was used to gain access to display cabinets, and one of the men was seen on CCTV footage breaking into a cabinet.
  • The stolen items included the Eugénie Crown, another crown, emerald earrings, and a brooch, with two recovered soon afterwards.
  • The investigation is being led by the Banditism Repression Brigade of the Judicial Police and the Central Office for Combating Trafficking in Cultural Property.
  • French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed that an investigation had been launched into "theft and criminal conspiracy to commit a crime."
  • The museum was shut for the day to preserve traces and clues, and CCTV footage is being studied to identify the perpetrators.
  • The gang is believed to be experienced and had obviously been watching the site before the operation.
  • One of the mopeds used by the thieves was found abandoned in a nearby street.
  • The theft is reminiscent of the infamous theft of the Mona Lisa in 1911, and the latest raid comes despite regular pledges to improve security at French museums.
  • Former President François Hollande described the robbery as a "serious act" and an "attack on our heritage."

Statistics:

  • The gang stole nine priceless jewels in just seven minutes.
  • The thieves used a hand-held disc cutter to cut through a window and a chainsaw to gain access to display cabinets.
  • The Eugénie Crown, a Second Empire piece, was among the stolen items, adorned with thousands of diamonds and emeralds.
  • Two recovered stolen items were found broken and discarded by the thieves below the Louvre window.
  • The investigation is being led by the Banditism Repression Brigade of the Judicial Police and the Central Office for Combating Trafficking in Cultural Property.
  • The museum was shut for the day to preserve traces and clues, with CCTV footage being studied to identify the perpetrators.
  • The gang is believed to be experienced and had obviously been watching the site before the operation.
  • One of the mopeds used by the thieves was found abandoned in a nearby street.

Sources:

  • Laurent Nuñez, French Interior Minister
  • Rachida Dati, France's Culture Minister
  • BFM French TV channel
  • Le Parisien
  • Kiran Ridley/Getty Images
  • DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images