Oct 28, 2025 | by Kayleigh Herbst, Colearn Chronicle Journalist

The 2025 Louvre Heist

Recently, history has been made at the Louvre in France…a robbery by just FOUR people in 4 minutes, you heard that right! Since 1998, not a single piece of art has been stolen from the Louvre, until now. On the 19th of October, four thieves stole eight pieces of the French Crown Jewels. These pieces were valued at around €88 million ($102 million). Surprisingly, the heist was done in broad daylight, right when the museum opened. Due to the Louvres extensive amount of security, thousands of individuals were stunned when they heard what happened.

The jewels that were stolen were: The tiara, necklace, and an earring from the sapphire set of Queen Marie-Amalie and Queen Hortense. The emerald necklace and a pair of emerald earrings from the Empress Marie Louise set. The reliquary brooch, a large corsage bow brooch, and the tiara of Empress Eugénie de Montijo.

The Run-Down:
On the day of the theft, right as the doors opened to the museum that morning, the thieves began the theft. Dressed as construction workers, they used a furniture lift to get up to a window and cut it with their tools. Once they were inside they smashed the cases, took the jewels, and just left! Culture Minister Rachida Dati said: "We saw some footage: they don't target people, they enter calmly in four minutes, smash display cases, take their loot, and leave. No violence, very professional."

Thankfully, at this time, two of the four suspects have been arrested. The police have yet to release their names. What we do know about the arrests is that both of the men were in their thirties. One was getting on a flight to Algeria, and the other was in Paris. This was also not the first burglary they had done together.

The hunt for the other two and the missing jewels are still ongoing.  The words of the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, give us some.hope:“The theft committed at the Louvre is an attack on a heritage that we cherish, because it is our history. We will recover the works, and the perpetrators will be brought to justice. Everything is being done, everywhere, to achieve this.”

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