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Valuable Items Stolen at the Louvre in Paris: Everything to Know About the 7-Minute Heist
Several valuable items were stolen from the Louvre museum in Paris. In light of the scandal, Life & Style breaks down everything to know about the heist that lasted only seven minutes.
Update: As of 11/25/2025:
Eight Suspects Have Been Arrested In Connection to Louvre Heist
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said during a press conference on October 29 that two suspects had been arrested in connection to the heist. One suspect was a 34-year-old Algerian man who was arrested while trying to board an aircraft to Algeria on October 24 with a one-way ticket, per NBC News. Meanwhile, the second man, a 39-year-old taxi driver, was arrested near his home.
Both men “partially” admitted to their involvement in the heist, and Beccuau explained they were linked to the crime through DNA evidence.
Another man and woman were also arrested in connection to the heist in late October, according to USA Today. At the time, authorities said they believed they caught three of the four robbers.
On November 25, it was revealed that four more people were arrested in connection to the heist.
“Four new individuals were arrested on November 25, 2025, as part of the investigation by the Paris Specialized Interregional Jurisdiction (JIRS) into the burglary committed at the Louvre on October 19, 2025,” the Paris prosecutor’s office said in a statement, per ABC News. “They are two men, aged 38 and 39, and two women, aged 31 and 40, all from the Paris region. These individuals are to be questioned by investigators.”
Despite having suspects in custody, Beccuau confirmed that authorities have not been given the stolen jewels.
The Louvre Was Broken Into in October 2025
The robbery took place on Sunday, October 19, between 9:30 and 09:40 am local time, which was shortly after the museum opened to guests.
Four thieves disguised as construction workers used a vehicle-mounted mechanical lift in order to enter the Galerie d’Apollon, translated to the Gallery of Apollo in English, through a balcony close to the River Seine, according to BBC.
Two of the thieves cut through glass panes with a battery-powered disc cutter, which granted them access into the museum. The thieves then threatened the guards and got them to evacuate the area. Once the coast was clear, the thieves stole items from two glass display cases.
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A preliminary report revealed that one of the three rooms the thieves raided had no CCTV cameras, per the French media.
The Paris Prosecutor’s Office said the perpetrators tried and failed to set fire to the mobile freight elevator they used in the heist, per ABC News. However, they did manage to flee the scene with the stolen items.
What Was Stolen From the Louvre?
Officials said the thieves stole jewelry – including crowns, necklaces, earrings and brooches – that once belonged to Emperor Napoleon and his wife, according to ABC News.
At least nine pieces of jewelry of “inestimable heritage and historical value” were taken in the heist before the thieves. “Investigations have begun, and a precise list of the stolen items is underway,” the Louvre said in a statement.
The French Ministry of Culture released a list of the eight items stolen on October 19, sharing that the thieves got away with two brooches, two diadems, two necklaces and two pairs of earrings.
French President Emmanuel Macron Vowed the Stolen Jewelry Will Be Recovered
Following the heist, French President Emmanuel Macron took to X to vow that the stolen items will be returned to the Louvre.
“The theft committed at the Louvre is an attack on a heritage that we cherish because it is our history,” Macron wrote via X. “We will recover the works, and the perpetrators will be brought to justice. Everything is being done, everywhere, to achieve this, under the leadership of the Paris prosecutor’s office.”
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An Investigation Into the Heist is Underway
The museum’s officials said in a statement on October 19 that an investigation had been launched into the “organized theft and criminal conspiracy to commit a crime.”
Meanwhile, ABC News reported that the Paris Public Prosecutor’s Office tapped the Brigade for the Suppression of Banditry, a specialized group of detectives that are part of the French National Police, to lead the investigation.
“Everything is being done to apprehend the perpetrators of this unacceptable act as quickly as possible,” Laurent Nunez, the interior minister, said on October 19, per ABC News.
On October 23, 2025, ABC News reported that French police confirmed two traces of DNA were found in one of the helmets and one of the gloves that the suspects left behind at the heist.
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