The Louvre in Paris reopened on Wednesday (October 22), three days after an audacious daylight robbery shook the world’s most visited museum. In a meticulously executed seven-minute operation, a gang of professional thieves made off with royal jewels worth over $100 million- just 250 meters from Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa .
Authorities revealed that the team spent barely four minutes inside the museum. Using a freight lift positioned near the Seine-facing façade, they pried open a window, smashed two glass cases, and escaped with the treasures before museum guards could reach the scene. The alarms triggered in time for agents to respond, but by then, the robbers had vanished into Paris traffic.
Scooter getaway straight out of a movie
Eyewitness accounts have lent a cinematic touch to the entire incident. A local cyclist named Samir told French channel TF1 that he saw “two men get on the hoist, break the window, and enter...it took 30 seconds.” Moments later, he saw four individuals speeding away on Yamaha TMax scooters. Samir immediately alerted the police, but the criminals had already disappeared.
The Louvre’s security agency, in coordination with Paris police, has since intensified the manhunt for what they describe as an “experienced and highly organised” gang. The robbery occurred less than a kilometer from the Paris police headquarters, adding to the embarrassment for local law enforcement.
AI-generated footage fuels online theories
As the search continues, social media has turned the heist into a pop-culture spectacle. An AI-generated video depicting a dramatised version of the robbery has gone viral, amassing millions of views within hours. The slickly produced clip shows masked men on scooters weaving through Paris streets- a near-perfect visual parallel to scenes from popular action films.
'Dhoom'-style comparisons trend worldwide
Fans and online users were quick to draw comparisons to the Bollywood blockbuster Dhoom 2, where Hrithik Roshan’s character, Aryan, executes a daring Louvre heist disguised as a statue. The uncanny similarity led one X user to quip, “There’s a theft at the Louvre Museum, but the contents are straight out of Dhoom 2.”
Another post that went viral read, “It’s been 48 hours since the Louvre heist- no arrests, no jewels recovered. Proof that movies might not be fiction after all. Ready for Dhoom 4?”
“Real Dhoom 2 enthusiasts know what actually went down,” added another user, while a fourth joked, “If Aryan were real, he’d 100 per cent rob the Louvre in broad daylight- for the thrill of it.”
When fiction meets reality
The 2006 hit Dhoom 2: Back in Action famously features Aryan’s Louvre heist scene, solidifying it as one of the most stylish cinematic robberies ever filmed. Now, life appears to have imitated art with unsettling precision, blurring the line between reel and real.
As investigators trace leads and review surveillance footage, one thing is certain- the Louvre heist has become more than a crime. It’s a global pop-culture event, equal parts mystery and movie magic.
