A new video has emerged revealing an audacious twist in what authorities are calling the heist of the century at Paris’s Louvre Museum. Surveillance footage circulating online allegedly shows two thieves escaping not on foot, but using a cherry picker. One thief is seen wearing a motorcycle helmet, while the other dons a yellow construction vest. Both lower themselves from a broken window before riding off into the Paris night on a motorcycle.
Lightning-fast robbery
Investigators said the entire operation lasted less than eight minutes, from the moment the thieves cut through a window to their disappearance. They managed to steal eight pieces of imperial jewelry, including a sapphire diadem, an emerald necklace, and a corsage brooch belonging to Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III. The stolen collection is valued at over $102 million.
DNA evidence and security gaps
The video comes a day after a significant breakthrough. Authorities revealed that two traces of DNA were recovered from a helmet and a pair of gloves left at the scene. Investigators are now analyzing the material to potentially identify the suspects. Meanwhile, the Louvre’s director admitted to security weaknesses, including a misaligned camera that failed to capture the window the thieves used. She attributed these gaps to years of underinvestment.
What was stolen?
The stolen crown jewels include a diamond and emerald-encrusted necklace gifted by Napoleon Bonaparte to his wife, a tiara worn by Empress Eugenie, and several pieces owned by Queen Marie-Amelie. A damaged crown, likely dropped during the escape, was found along the robbers’ route. Additional footage obtained by CNN shows ladders, an angle grinder, a blow torch, and other tools used during the heist.
Where the jewels might end up
Experts warn that the stolen items could be melted down or reworked into new jewelry to avoid detection. “You don’t even have to put them on a black market,” an art crime professor at John Jay College told AP, “you just put them in a jewelry store.” Christopher Marinello, founder of Art Recovery International, added that selling the full artifacts will be difficult given their global exposure.
Cherry picker becomes social media star
The German-made freight lift used in the escape has become a social media sensation. Böcker Maschinenwerke GmbH, the manufacturer, humorously shared the lift’s image online with the caption, “when things have to be done fast,” receiving overwhelming attention.
This daring heist continues to puzzle authorities and has ignited a global fascination with the Louvre robbery’s cinematic escape.
