Paris — French authorities might properly handle to trace down and arrest the thieves who pulled off an audacious theft of royal crown jewels from Paris’ iconic Louvre museum, however they’re unlikely to recuperate the nationwide treasures, a criminologist informed CBS Information on Tuesday. The heist passed off on Sunday, in broad daylight with vacationers within the museum, however no person was damage.
“We are going to catch them,” Alain Bauer, a professor of criminology at France’s Nationwide Conservatory of Arts and Crafts, informed CBS Information.
However he added: “I do not assume we are going to seize the jewels.”
Bauer mentioned loads of DNA was left on the scene by the robbers, together with on the crown of the empress Eugénie, which was left behind by the thieves as they made their getaway on bikes.
French police additionally recovered a big crane elevate utilized by the thieves to entry an higher flooring window of the 230-year-old museum, together with an influence noticed, gloves, a walkie-talkie and a can of gasoline. Authorities have mentioned the criminals might have supposed to make use of the fuel to burn their instruments, however they ran out of time.
French cops stand subsequent to a crane-lift utilized by robbers to enter the Louvre Museum and steal gadgets from the gallery holding crown jewels on Oct. 19, 2025.
DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP/Getty
The criminals entered from the again facet of the Louvre’s primary constructing on Sunday — away from the primary entrance with its well-known glass pyramid — earlier than reducing their manner via a window utilizing the ability elevate and noticed. They then made their manner straight for the Galerie d’Apollon, the massive corridor that housed the crown jewels.
If the thieves have been skilled criminals, they might be recognized to the police, with info out there on French legislation enforcement databases, Bauer informed CBS Information.
However “in the event that they’re beginner, or within the center, underneath management or subcontracted by any person else, it might be slightly extra difficult,” he mentioned.
What are the jewels stolen from the Louvre value?
The stolen French crown jewels are priceless in historic phrases, however Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau mentioned Tuesday their estimated value is 88 million euros, or $102 million.
“The wrongdoers who took these gems will not earn 88 million euros if they’d the very dangerous thought of disassembling these jewels,” Beccuau mentioned in an interview with French broadcaster RTL. “We will maybe hope that they will take into consideration this and will not destroy these jewels with out rhyme or cause.”
Specialists have informed CBS Information the jewels would nonetheless be value hundreds of thousands of {dollars} if damaged up and bought on the black market.
One of many stolen gadgets is a tiara that includes 212 pearls and almost 2,000 diamonds, commissioned by Emperor Napoleon III to have a good time his marriage to Eugénie de Montijo in 1853. Additionally swiped: a sapphire-and-diamond tiara and necklace set, a big diamond brooch, and an emerald necklace and earrings that have been initially a marriage reward from Napoleon to his second spouse, Empress Marie-Louise of Austria, in 1810.
A sapphire tiara, necklace and single earring worn by Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense was stolen from this jewellery set on the Louvre on Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025.
The Louvre
The beautiful theft was essentially the most spectacular theft on the Louvre museum because the Mona Lisa was stolen in 1911. The long-lasting portray by Leonardo da Vinci was situated in Italy and returned to the Louvre a number of years later.
Sunday’s heist has been described as each a tragedy and a nationwide embarrassment for France.
“You understand, you assume, within the Louvre, of all locations, do not they’ve one of the best safety on the planet?” one surprised American vacationer informed the French information company AFP quickly after the theft, calling it “loopy.”
French cops stand in entrance of the Louvre museum after theft, in Paris, France, Oct. 19, 2025.
DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP/Getty
However safety specialists say the Louvre’s safety vulnerabilities have been in depth. A current safety audit famous that 35% of the rooms within the Denon Wing, the place the jewels have been stored, haven’t any safety cameras, in accordance with a Radio France report.
France’s Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin informed reporters on Monday that the nation had essentially did not safe its nationwide treasures.
“I do know that we can’t safe completely all of the websites. However what was certain was that we failed, as a result of somebody was able to placing in a crane truck, within the open, within the streets of Paris, to have folks stroll up for a few minutes and take priceless jewels and provides France a deplorable picture,” Darmanin lamented.