Paris prosecutors probe two main theories behind Louvre heist

The Paris Prosecutor’s Office is examining two main theories behind the robbery at the Louvre Museum, Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccuau has said.

“Organized crime may have had two objectives: either the theft was carried out on commission, or the jewels were stolen for money laundering purposes,” Beccuau said, Le Figaro reports.

She noted that the possibility of a foreign connection in the robbery “is not a priority” for investigators.

Commenting on the matter, French President Emmanuel Macron assured the public that the stolen jewels will be recovered and the perpetrators brought to justice.

“The robbery at the Louvre is an attack on the historical heritage we hold dear,” Macron wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “We will find the jewels, and the criminals will face trial.”

The president added that “under the supervision of the Paris Prosecutor’s Office, all possible measures are being taken,” and announced that security at the Louvre will be significantly reinforced in the coming days.

The robbery occurred on October 19, 2025, around 9:30 a.m., just as the museum opened to visitors, in the opulent Galerie d'Apollon housing French crown jewels and Napoleonic-era artifacts. Four masked intruders, dressed as construction workers in yellow hi-vis vests, used a crane-mounted basket lift from a nearby truck to breach a second-floor window, smashing display cases with angle grinders and a blowtorch in under seven minutes before fleeing on motorbikes. No visitors or staff were harmed, though five guards were nearby and activated alarms while prioritizing evacuations. The Louvre closed for the day to secure the scene and preserve evidence.

By Khagan Isayev