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Louvre Jewel Heist Prompts Security Overhaul as Police Hunt Four Suspects

A national security review follows, with investigators pursuing four suspects.

Overview

  • About 60 investigators from the BRB and OCBC are conducting a concentrated manhunt for four masked perpetrators who escaped on scooters.
  • Forensic teams are analyzing recovered items — including two disk cutters, a blowtorch, fuel, gloves, a talkie‑walkie, a gilet jaune and at least one scooter — for possible DNA, and a discarded crown of Empress Eugénie is under examination.
  • The thieves reached the Galerie d’Apollon using a nacelle, cut a window and two high‑security vitrines with disk cutters, and completed the operation in roughly seven to eight minutes.
  • Authorities say window and vitrine alarms were active and signaled to the security post, with prosecutors probing whether on‑site guards heard them, as a Cour des comptes pre‑report flags significant surveillance gaps.
  • The Louvre remained closed Monday to preserve evidence and was not expected to reopen before Wednesday, while ministers ordered administrative reviews and instructed prefects to reinforce museum security.