Thefts Rose In Number At The Lourve Museum

On October 19, 2025 around 9:30 a.m, eight French crown jewels were stolen and one was damaged from the Louvre Museum in Paris. Four people were involved in this theft, which in total took seven minutes. The Louvre museum, originally built as a fortress, now declared as a museum, opened to the public in 1793. This museum stores art ranging from 9,000 years old to many famous pieces, like the Mona Lisa. The number of thefts taking place at the Louvre is unknown, but famous ones include the theft of the Mona Lisa in 1911 which was soon recovered, and the one on October 19, 2025. The artifacts and the thieves are still unknown.

Articles from BBC reveal pictures of the ladder the thieves used to climb to the first floor, and soon continues to explain how they used power tools to cut through the window and access the museum. From there, the thieves were able to access the crown jewels and leave in three minutes and 57 seconds. In the rushed escape, the thieves were able to take eight out of the nine jewels they originally planned, leaving the crown of Empress Eungénie damaged. “The stolen crown jewels have an estimated value of 88 million euros ($102 million), not counting their cultural and historical value to the French people,” NBC news states.

As for October 26, 2025, ABC news reported that “The French National Police confirmed to ABC News that two men had been arrested in connection to the Louvre robbery.”

Using deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), reporters were able to locate two suspects, one of them preparing to leave France. Right now, the two suspects have been taken in custody by the French National Police, but the stolen goods and other thieves are still unknown. Reports reveal the disappointment among officials when considering the lack of strict security was the root of this theft.

Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin told the French Inter Radio, “What is certain is that we have failed, since people were able to park a furniture hoist in the middle of Paris, get people up it in several minutes to grab priceless jewels, giving France a terrible image.” The Guardian reveals the thoughts of the interior minister, Laurent Nunez, and how he acknowledged securing museums as a “major weak spot.”

As a result, the security of artifacts is under inspection, not only in France, but all around the world. Concerns have been raised about vulnerabilities revolving around security, and debates on how to better protect artifacts.