Over 8,400 diamonds, 200 pearls stolen in Louvre Heist, investigation reveals

Two months after one of the most audacious museum burglaries in recent history, investigators have revealed the full scale of the loot stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris.

According to BFMTV, the October 19 heist saw thieves seize a staggering 8,482 diamonds, 35 emeralds, 34 sapphires, and 212 pearls, taken from eight high-value pieces in the museum’s Apollo Gallery.

The robbery, which took less than four minutes, involved two masked thieves, referred to as XH1 and XH2, who forced entry through an access window using an angle grinder. The suspects quickly collected the jewels, placing them in a bag and their pockets before fleeing the scene on scooters with two accomplices waiting nearby. A cherry picker used to gain access was abandoned at the scene, and investigators later found its original license plate inside, having been removed from a previously stolen vehicle.

Authorities traced the suspects through genetic material left on a scooter, helmet, and shop window. Abdoulaye N., 39, alias XH1, was arrested in Aubervilliers on October 25, and later admitted to participating in the burglary. His accomplice, Ayed G., known as XH2, was detained at Roissy Charles de Gaulle airport while attempting to flee to Algeria. Two additional suspects, Slimane K. and Rachid H., are also in pretrial detention, though DNA evidence linking them to the scene is less clear.

The heist targeted Napoleon’s collection of historic jewels, including a necklace, brooch, and tiara. Notably, the crown of Empress Eugénie, encrusted with 1,354 diamonds, was dropped during the escape. Some of the stolen jewels were reportedly offered for sale on the dark web, though authorities have yet to recover any of the loot.

Investigators continue to piece together the logistics of the burglary, which included coordinated movements of scooters, vans, and a cherry picker from a housing project in Aubervilliers to the Louvre. The audacity and precision of the operation have left authorities emphasising the challenge of recovering such a large quantity of priceless gemstones.

The four suspects remain in pretrial detention and are presumed innocent under French law.

By Khagan Isayev