Newly released footage captures the extraordinary moment when the culprits behind the Louvre robbery executed a peculiar slow-motion escape with the French crown jewels. In the video, two individuals, one clad in a high-visibility jacket and the other in a motorbike jacket, calmly descend a cherry picker that they had positioned outside the museum without facing any opposition right before their bold theft of nine precious artifacts.
The thieves seemed to have ample time to carry out their getaway, eventually fleeing on motorcycles after touching the ground. Despite five days passing since the incident, law enforcement has yet to apprehend any suspects in connection with the £76 million robbery, which has been condemned as a “national disgrace” by opposition figures in France.
Only one item, Empress Eugenie’s crown, was recovered after reportedly being dropped by the perpetrators. The rest of the stolen treasures, including a tiara worn by Empress Eugenie, a sapphire diadem, a necklace and earring set associated with 19th-century French queens Marie-Amelie and Hortense, an emerald necklace and earrings from Empress Marie-Louise, a reliquary brooch, and a large corsage-bow brooch, remain missing, raising concerns that they may have been dismantled for illicit sale.
Following the incident, the Louvre reopened to the public with heightened security measures in place. During a session with the senate’s culture committee, Laurence des Cars, the museum’s director, acknowledged significant security lapses, describing the CCTV coverage around the museum as “highly inadequate.”
In a separate development, a British art authenticator, Curtis Dowling, reported being contacted by individuals offering substantial sums to assess what he believes to be the stolen jewelry from the Louvre. Speculating that the jewels may have changed hands multiple times already, Dowling declined involvement, highlighting the risks and ethical concerns associated with handling stolen goods.
Dowling, known for his role on the CNBC show “Treasure Detectives,” emphasized the prevalence of fake replicas circulating in the illicit art market and the dangers of engaging with unscrupulous collectors seeking to profit from stolen artifacts.