$102 Million Dollars Stolen in 7 Minutes: The Louvre Jewel Heist

In just seven minutes, historic jewels worth roughly $100 million were stolen from the world's most famous museum, and not one person noticed. On October 19, 2025, a group of thieves disguised as construction workers entered the Galerie d’Apollon. Within minutes alarms blared, but before the museum could react, France’s crown jewels had vanished in a heist from one of the most secure places on Earth, making this heist one of the biggest of the century.  

Phase One: The Disguise and Preparation

The first step in the master plan was their disguise and preparation. The thieves went dressed in neon vests, tool belts, and hard hats, blending in perfectly with the real construction group working at the Louvre the week before. Investigators later found out that the thieves studied the renovation schedule and found an opening when part of Galerie d’Apollon was closed due to maintenance. Security footage shows they arrived at 9:30 am, right after the museum opens, with their construction carts. Inside the carts were laser cutters, suction tools, and a signal jammer to temporarily block the alarm system. 

Phase Two: The Break In

When the four suspects arrived, they used a vehicle-mounted mechanical lift to get onto a balcony that gave them access to the Galerie d’Apollon. Once inside, they reached the display cases and used their tools to open them and stole eight items (and dropped one). The stolen items are the following: 

• Tiara of Empress Eugine 

• Empress Eugénie decorative bow

• Empress Eugénie brooch

• Sapphire tiara, necklace and earring

• Parts of Napoleon’s emerald wedding gift set

Phase Three: The Escape

After grabbing the jewels, the thieves fled on scooters and motorcycles, leaving behind their lift truck and tools. Security alarms finally went off, but by then, the thieves had vanished into the streets of Paris. The museum was quickly evacuated as police launched an investigation.

Aftermath and Investigation

Authorities estimate the value of the stolen jewels at 88 million euros (102 million USD). But officials say the real loss is historical since many of the pieces were irreplaceable royal artifacts. 

The incident sparked harsh criticism of the Louvre's security. Investigators revealed that camera blind spots and an outdated alarm system may have allowed the thieves to act so quickly. Some recovered items have already been moved to secure vaults at the bank of France under police escort, and two suspects have since been arrested.

This Heist has raised major questions about Museum security and their protection of national treasures. Beyond the money, the stolen Jewels represent centuries of French history, from the Napoleonic era to the Second Empire. 

Will the jewels be melted down, sold off, or someday recovered? For now, the world can only wonder how such a theft happened in the heart of one of the most secure museums on Earth. It  was a crime that took just seven minutes but will undoubtedly leave its mark for years to come, likely impacting how historic jewels will be protected in the future.