Both the yellow vest worn by the thief and the floor of the “Apollo” gallery match the footage reportedly captured by a visitor to the Louvre during the theft. In it, one of the three thieves is shown sawing through a display case to grab jewelry. The thieves, however, had their facial features covered. According to Le Parisien’s report, at least two of the thieves wore yellow vests. Additionally, it is considered certain that there were three perpetrators, although the possibility of a fourth cannot be ruled out.
Read: When they stole the Mona Lisa and accused Picasso – Ruthless questions about security gaps
Indeed, the thieves seemed to act as if it were the middle of the night and the guards were asleep. It is reported that they arrived outside the Louvre on motorcycles and used a mobile crane mounted on a truck to gain access to the room they targeted. According to a police source, they were equipped with small chainsaws. The perpetrators wore masks and entered the building from the Seine embankment side, where construction work is taking place.
Au #Louvre, ce dimanche à 9h30, des hommes cagoulés ont donc découpé des vitrines à la disqueuse et sont repartis par la fenêtre avec des bijoux.
C'est le résultat d'un laxisme généralisé en France. pic.twitter.com/Bjaxvq79LW— Watch This (@WatchThisfr) October 19, 2025
Louvre: The seven minutes that will go down in history
After breaking the windows, two entered while another remained outside as lookout. The thieves grabbed nine pieces of jewelry from Napoleon and the Empress’s collection. Everything happened within seven minutes.
According to the same sources, the perpetrators fled the scene on a TMax motorcycle and scooter, heading toward the A6 highway. A motorcycle was found after they escaped from the scene. French media reported that the perpetrators managed to grab nine pieces of jewelry from the collection of 23.
Information indicates that they stole: a jewelry set, a necklace, earrings, two crowns – including that of Empress Eugénie, which was found damaged outside the museum – and a brooch. A second object has been recovered, though it’s not known exactly which one. Empress Eugénie’s crown was found near the museum shortly after the theft. Le Figaro reports that the crown consists of 1,354 diamonds and 56 emeralds. It is the only surviving crown, along with that of Louis XV.
