Louvre Museum Heist Involves Local Criminals, Prosecutor Reveals

Mon Nov 03 2025 10:47:44 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a stunning revelation, Paris prosecutors assert that last month’s Louvre heist was executed by petty criminals rather than organized crime. €88 million worth of jewelry was stolen, raising concerns about security at France's premier cultural institution.

The prosecutor's office in Paris has established that the recent jewelry theft from the Louvre museum was orchestrated by local petty criminals, primarily from the Seine-Saint-Denis area. Prosecutor Laure Beccuau stated that four individuals, comprising three men and one woman, were charged in connection with the theft of jewels valued at €88 million. The heist involved a swift operation that took place in broad daylight, highlighting vulnerabilities in security protocols at one of the world's most renowned museums.

Last month's jewellery heist at the Louvre museum was carried out by petty criminals rather than organised crime professionals, Paris's prosecutor has said.

This is not quite everyday delinquency... but it is a type of delinquency that we do not generally associate with the upper echelons of organised crime, Laure Beccuau told franceinfo radio.

She said four people arrested and charged so far over the theft that shocked France and the world were clearly local people living in Seine-Saint-Denis, an impoverished area just north of Paris.

Jewels worth €88m (£76m; $102m) were taken from the most-visited museum, in the French capital, on 19 October.

In Sunday's interview to franceinfo radio, Beccuau said the four arrested people - three men and a woman - all live more or less in Seine-Saint-Denis.

She said two of the male suspects had been known to the police, as they each had multiple theft convictions.

On Saturday, a 38-year-old woman was charged with complicity in organised theft and criminal conspiracy with a view to committing a crime. Additionally, a 37-year-old man was charged with theft and criminal conspiracy.

The suspects - who have not been publicly named - both denied any involvement. Beccuau highlighted that the two were in a relationship and had children together, without giving any further details.

The daylight theft saw the suspects arrive at the Louvre around 9:30 AM local time just after the museum had opened to visitors. They employed a stolen vehicle-mounted mechanical lift to gain access to the gallery via a balcony, used a disc cutter to crack the display cases, and escaped on scooters.

Within just four minutes, they made off with several pieces of jewelry, valued at €88 million. One stolen item was dropped during the escape, while the remaining jewels are currently unaccounted for, raising concerns about their potential transport abroad.

Following this high-profile incident, security measures have been tightened at cultural institutions throughout France, with some of the Louvre's most valuable pieces being transferred to the Bank of France for safekeeping.

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