Louvre Heist: €88 Million Crown Jewel Theft and the Unnamed Mastermind

On 19 October 2025, two men breached the Louvre’s Galerie d’Apollon, shattering display-case windows and removing eight pieces of French crown jewellery—including tiaras, necklaces, earrings and a brooch—valued at roughly €88 million. The thieves entered via a boom lift disguised as maintenance equipment, cut into the cases with power tools, and fled on motorbikes within eight minutes. During the escape they dropped the gem-encrusted Crown of Empress Eugénie, which was later recovered near the museum.

The Guardian

• Abdoulaye N. – a former minor social-media personality with a passion for motorbikes. He admitted he was “in dire straits” financially and was promised €15,000-€25,000 for his role.

The Guardian

• Ghelamallah A. – claimed he believed the target was “a jewellery store where they make jewellery in Paris,” not the world’s most visited museum. He was offered a fee of €20,000-€25,000.

The Guardian

• Unnamed organiser – described by the suspects as a client who recruited them only two or three days before the operation, provided video of the gallery, and later expressed disappointment with the haul.

The Independent

• Mid-October 2025 – video of the Apollo gallery shown to the suspects.

The Guardian

• 19 October 2025, 09:30 local time – thieves gain access to a first-floor balcony via a furniture lift, break the gallery window, and begin cutting display-case windows.

Euronews

• ? 09:38 – thieves exit the museum on motorbikes, abandoning the Crown of Empress Eugénie.

The Guardian

• June 2026 – French investigating judges record interrogations of Abdoulaye N. and Ghelamallah A.; transcripts later reviewed by *Le Monde*.

The Guardian

• Total estimated value: €88 million (£75 million).

The Guardian

• Items taken: eight pieces of crown jewellery, historically worn by French queens and empresses.

The Guardian

• Recovered: the Crown of Empress Eugénie, found near the museum shortly after the theft.

The Guardian

French investigators have confirmed the suspects’ identities and the method of entry but have not verified whether the burglars acted on behalf of a larger criminal network. The judiciary noted that both men refused to disclose the organiser’s identity, citing fear of reprisals. Interpol issued a notice shortly after the theft, and the Louvre’s director resigned in the wake of the scandal.

The Independent

• Financial motive vs. organized crime: While the suspects described a purely financial client, investigators have not corroborated the existence of a broader syndicate.

The Independent

• Fee discrepancy: Sources report promised payments ranging from €15,000-€20,000 to €15,000-€25,000, leaving the exact remuneration unclear.

The Guardian

• Mastermind identity: Both thieves repeatedly emphasized threats and calls urging silence, but no concrete leads have emerged, creating a persistent investigative gap.

The Independent

• “I knew I was going to rob the Louvre,” — Abdoulaye N.

The Guardian

• “Break windows and retrieve jewellery from inside the display cases.” — Abdoulaye N.

The Guardian

• “He thought we could have taken more,” — Abdoulaye N.

The Guardian

• “When we got in, there was no one there, it was dark, only the lights in the display cases were on,” — Abdoulaye N.

The Guardian

• “Yes, it was me, it fell out of my bag,” — Abdoulaye N.

The Guardian

• “They’re no choirboys,” — Ghelamallah A.

The Guardian