Media: Louvre thieves tried to sell stolen jewels on Darknet

Twelve days after a daring October 19 heist at the Louvre Museum, the thieves behind the theft reportedly reached out to an Israeli security firm, offering to negotiate the sale of the stolen jewelry on the darknet.

The Israeli CGI Group said the Louvre ignored the offer, even after the thieves provided apparent proof they held some of the stolen pieces, according to Ynet.

“He offered to negotiate with us on the darknet for the purchase of the stolen pieces, limiting contact to just 24 hours,” said Tzvika Naveh, CEO of CGI Group. The thieves allegedly demanded tens of millions of euros.

Naveh criticised the museum for its inaction: “We lost credibility with the thieves, and the Louvre missed a real opportunity to recover the jewelry. Unfortunately, it seems ego and hesitation played a role.”

The stolen items, valued at more than $100 million, included jewelry from the Napoleonic collection, belonging to Empress Eugénie and Empress Marie Louise. French authorities have arrested five additional suspects, though the jewels remain missing.

Naveh also noted he had previously warned about darknet chatter suggesting a possible Louvre heist. The museum has denied direct contact with CGI Group.

By Sabina Mammadli