2025 Louvre heist facts for kids
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The Galerie d'Apollon in 2024
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| Date | 19 October 2025 |
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| Time | c. 09:30 |
| Venue | Louvre |
| Location | Paris, France |
| Type | Jewellery theft |
| Stolen value | €88 million |
On October 19, 2025, a daring theft happened at the famous Louvre museum in Paris, France. Thieves, dressed like construction workers, stole eight valuable pieces from the French Crown Jewels. These jewels were worth about 88 million Euros. The robbery took place in the beautiful Galerie d'Apollon (also known as Apollo's Gallery). The whole event lasted less than eight minutes, with the thieves spending only four minutes inside the museum. This was the first art theft at the Louvre since 1998. Soon after, two men were arrested. Since then, several other people have been questioned, and five individuals have been accused of being involved. The stolen jewels have not yet been found.
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About the Louvre and its Jewels
The Galerie d'Apollon, built in the 16th century, is a special part of the Louvre. It used to display many of the French Crown Jewels. These included the beautiful Crown of Louis XV and the sparkling Hortensia diamond.
Past Thefts at the Louvre
The Louvre has faced thefts before. In 1911, a former employee named Vincenzo Peruggia stole the famous Mona Lisa painting. Luckily, it was found two years later in Italy. More recently, in 1998, the painting Le chemin de Sèvres was stolen. This artwork is still missing today. At that time, the museum's director warned that security was not strong enough.
Security Concerns Before the Robbery
Before the 2025 robbery, the museum's director, Laurence des Cars, asked the Paris police to check the museum's security. They found some problems and made suggestions. However, these changes were only just starting when the theft happened. Some groups representing museum workers had said that security was weaker because there were fewer staff members. Meanwhile, more and more visitors were coming to the museum.
Problems with security were found after the robbery. For example, not enough cameras were watching the museum's rooms. Only 39% of the rooms had cameras. Even the camera in the Apollo Gallery was facing the wrong way! An earlier check in 2014 had also warned about serious security issues. These included using very simple passwords and old computer systems. It was even reported that the password for the surveillance system was simply "Louvre".
Other Museum Thefts in France
Other museums in France have also been targeted recently. The Cognacq-Jay Museum and the Hiéron Museum both had items stolen in November 2024. The Adrien Dubouché Museum was also robbed in September 2025. In Paris, the National Museum of Natural History had gold worth 600,000 Euros stolen on September 16, 2025.
How the Robbery Happened
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The theft began around 9:30 AM, shortly after the museum opened. The thieves arrived at the Louvre from the side facing the Seine river. They brought tools and wore bright yellow-and-orange vests. This made them look like regular construction workers.
Two of the thieves covered their faces with balaclavas. They used a special furniture lift to reach a first-floor balcony on the museum's south side. These lifts are often used in Paris for moving furniture.
From the balcony, they used a powerful tool called a disc cutter to break through a glass window. This set off the museum's alarms. Inside, they threatened the guards with their tools. They quickly grabbed nine valuable items from two glass display cases.
As they left, they used the same furniture lift. Two other people were waiting for them on scooters. While escaping, they accidentally dropped the Crown of Empress Eugénie in the street. This meant they got away with eight items instead of nine. They tried to set the lift on fire before speeding away. The thieves escaped along the Seine riverbanks and then onto a highway. The whole robbery was incredibly fast, lasting less than eight minutes. They were only inside the museum for four minutes.
What Was Stolen?
The French Ministry of Culture confirmed the stolen items. They included:
- A tiara, necklace, and an earring from the beautiful sapphire set of Queen Marie-Amalie and Queen Hortense.
- An emerald necklace and a pair of emerald earrings from the set belonging to Empress Marie Louise.
- A special brooch, a large bow-shaped brooch, and the tiara of Empress Eugénie de Montijo.
While escaping, the thieves dropped the Crown of Empress Eugénie. It was found damaged because they tried to pull it through a space that was too small. The museum director said that it might be possible to carefully repair it. Another jeweled item was also dropped, but its identity was not shared.
Interestingly, the thieves did not take some of the most famous diamonds in the gallery. These included the Regent (worth 51 million Euros by itself), the Sancy, and the Hortensia.
Officials estimated the total value of the stolen items to be 88 million Euros. However, they also said that the biggest loss was to France's history and culture.
- Stolen items
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Tiara from the sapphire set of Queen Marie-Amalie and Queen Hortense
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Necklace from the same set
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Earrings from the same set
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Emerald necklace from Marie Louise's set
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Pair of emerald earrings from Marie Louise's set
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Tiara of Empress Eugénie
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Large bodice bow of Empress Eugénie
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Crown of Empress Eugénie (recovered, damaged)
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The Investigation
The Paris police immediately started a big investigation. Prosecutor Laure Beccuau said that 60 people were working on the case. Later, the Interior Minister, Laurent Nuñez, stated that over 100 investigators were involved. They collected more than 150 pieces of evidence. This included fingerprints and DNA samples.
Police carefully watched CCTV footage from the escape route. Pictures showed a small truck near the museum with its lift extended to the balcony. Reports said that police found tools, a blowtorch, gasoline, gloves, a walkie-talkie, a blanket, and a crown at the scene.
Suspects and Arrests
Four people were thought to have taken part in the robbery itself. Two individuals were arrested on October 25. One was caught at Charles de Gaulle Airport trying to fly to Algeria. Both were already known to police from earlier theft cases. Investigators found DNA evidence from a helmet left at the crime scene that matched one of the suspects.
After four days, officials announced that the two arrested men had partly admitted their involvement. They were accused of organized theft and planning a crime together.
Five more suspects were arrested on October 29. Only one of them was believed to be part of the original four-person team. Two people were formally accused on October 31: a 37-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman. They were accused of theft and planning a crime. Both said they were not involved. The other three arrested that day were released.
On November 25, police detained four more suspects from Paris. One man, aged 39, was formally accused on November 27. He is believed to be the last member of the four-person team. The other three detained on November 27 were released.
The location of the stolen jewels is still unknown.
What Happened After
The museum was closed and everyone was evacuated right after the robbery. On October 20, the jewels were added to Interpol's database of stolen artworks. The museum re-opened on October 22, but the Galerie d'Apollon remained closed.
After the robbery, French President Emmanuel Macron asked for security improvements to be made faster. These improvements were based on earlier recommendations.
The museum's director, Laurence des Cars, spoke to a government committee on October 22, 2025. She admitted that the museum's camera systems had problems. She noted that some parts of the building were not properly covered by cameras. Ms. Des Cars confirmed that she had offered to resign on the day of the robbery, but her offer was not accepted.
As a safety measure, several other valuable jewels were moved from the museum. They were taken to the Bank of France in the weeks following the theft.
Reactions to the Robbery
President Macron said the robbery was "an attack on a heritage that we cherish." He promised to find the jewels and bring those responsible to justice. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said it gave France "a terrible image." However, he was confident the thieves would be caught. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez called it a "major robbery" of "immeasurable heritage value."
Culture Minister Rachida Dati described the thieves as very professional. She said they entered calmly, broke display cases, took their loot, and left without violence.
Some politicians criticized the government after the robbery. They questioned how such an event could happen.
A company that made the furniture lift used in the theft posted on social media. Their post, which became very popular, highlighted how fast and quiet their products were.
A report by the Cour des Comptes found that the museum had focused on popular projects. They had not spent enough on important maintenance and security upgrades. An art expert, Didier Rykner, also said the museum's director prioritized new projects over protecting existing collections.
See also
In Spanish: Robo del Louvre de 2025 para niños
- 2025 Drents Museum heist
- Dresden Green Vault burglary
- Vincenzo Peruggia § Theft
