(Image via ABC News)

Volunteer writer: Mariana Peñafiel

Email: mpenafiel@umassd.edu

When the news of the Louvre robbery came out, a lot of people imagined that it would be like something out of the movie with lots of weapons, a mastermind behind a computer monitoring every move, hackers breaking into security systems, smoke bombs, mind games, and perhaps some Dalí masks.

But it wasn’t like that. 

Four masked men entered the world’s most famous museum in broad daylight through a balcony window, stole nine pieces of jewelry from the Napoleonic era, dropped one of them, and left in motorcycles with millions in their hands.

Timeline of the Day of the Robbery

On Sunday, October 19 at 9:30 a.m., the Louvre had been open for just half an hour when the four masked thieves arrived in a truck with an extendable ladder. With it, they could reach the second floor, where the balcony allowed them to get into the French museum, police told ABC news.

At around 9:34 a.m., the thieves deployed the ladder as two men dressed as construction workers climbed up to the second-floor balcony. Using an angle grinder, they broke the window and entered the Apollo Gallery, which displayed some iconic paintings and, more importantly, holds the French Crown Jewels.

Inside, the thieves used the angle grinder to break two display cases. They took nine pieces of jewelry from the Napoleonic era, including tiaras, necklaces, and earrings from the 19th century.

At 9:37, the first alarm inside the museum was activated, drawing the attention of employees who quickly started a security plan and alerted the authorities.

Just four minutes after entering the gallery, with the treasures in their hands, the thieves fled through the broken window, went down the stairs, and escaped on two motorcycles.

When the police arrived at the scene, they found the crown of Empress Eugénie de Montijo, wife of Napoleon III, lying damaged on the street as proof that what just happened was indeed true.

In less than eight minutes, four thieves escaped with eight jewels valued at $102 million from the largest and among the most famous museums in the world in plain daylight. 

Stolen Items

So far, seven people have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the Louvre robbery. Three of them were released without charges, ABC News reported.

Two men, aged 34 and 39, were arrested on October 25 in Paris and partially admitted their involvement. Both men’s DNA connected them to the crime scene, according to the prosecutor’s office per Reuters. 

 “We do not rule out the possibility of a larger group, including a person who commissioned the theft and may have been the intended recipient of the stolen jewels,” Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau added. 

On November 1, a third man who was 37 years old and a 38 year old woman were charged with complicity in organised theft, criminal conspiracy and theft, according to BBC. 

Both have denied any involvement with the crime. 

The three men are believed to have participated in the robbery that happened on October 19. While the woman is believed to have been an accomplice, the fourth thief has not been caught yet. 

The other three suspects were released without charges, as there is insufficient information about them. 

And the icing on the cake: according to a Louvre employee, the CCTV surveillance system’s password was “Louvre.” A similar security concern was allegedly raised in 2014.

For now, the investigation remains open, as pressure on the French government continues to increase. Although some hope that the jewels can be recovered, many suspect that they have already been melted down and broken up into pieces to be sold.

The Louvre robbery was nothing like the movies and TV shows. There were no slow-motion escapes, hackers in dark rooms, or lasers protecting the treasures. However, in a matter of minutes, the masked thieves disappeared with priceless and irreplaceable jewels which left the world in complete shock.