Louvre thieves caught on video escaping using a cherry picker and bike

Oct 24, 2025 at 06:05 AM CDT

Julia Marshall (Morning Digital Producer)

Surveillance footage circulating online allegedly shows two of the Louvre thieves escaping — not on foot, but on a cherry picker. — Image credit: DIMITAR DILKOFF/AFP via Getty Images/SkyNews

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Summary

Louvre jewelry heist

Surveillance footage allegedly captures the thieves leaving through a broken window using a cherry picker before departing on a motorcycle into the night.

Investigation findings

Investigators stated the theft operation lasted under eight minutes from entry to escape.

Security weaknesses

The director of the Louvre acknowledged security "weaknesses," explaining that a security camera was pointed in the wrong direction and failed to capture footage of the window where the break-in occurred.

Full story

A new video released revealed a bizarre twist in what’s being called the heist of the century. Surveillance footage circulating online allegedly shows two of the Louvre thieves escaping — not on foot, but on a cherry picker.

One person wearing a motorcycle helmet and the other in a yellow construction vest lower themselves from a broken window before taking off on a motorcycle into the Paris night.

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Investigators claimed the entire operation took under eight minutes from the moment they cut through a window to the moment they vanished.

The thieves got away with eight imperial jewelry pieces, including a sapphire diadem, an emerald necklace and a corsage brooch belonging to Empress Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III. The jewels are worth more than $102 million.

The Louvre in Paris reopened its doors on Wednesday, three days after a major theft which has damaged France's global image and prompted the director of the world-famous museum to submit her resignation.https://t.co/EzKDhYPx7l pic.twitter.com/vH637YZW1J
— Sky News (@SkyNews) October 23, 2025

Previous developments

The video comes one day after a major development in the case. On Thursday, investigators revealed they found two traces of DNA on a helmet and a pair of gloves left behind by the suspects. Now, investigators are analyzing the material in hopes of identifying the thieves.

The Louvre’s director also admitted to security “weaknesses,” including a camera pointed the wrong way, which failed to capture the very window where the thieves got in and out. She attributed the weaknesses to years of underinvestment.

ABC reports that earlier this week, officials said the evidence collected so far points to “organized crime.” However, investigators have not ruled out the possibility of an inside job.

Julia Marshall (Morning Digital Producer)

Julia Marshall is a morning digital producer at Straight Arrow News. Thanks to her extensive newsroom experience, Julia has a keen eye for news and extensive experience in writing and editing content across all topics and platforms.

Jason K. Morrell (Morning Managing Editor) and Devan Markham (Morning Digital Producer) contributed to this report.

Tags: France, Louvre, Paris

[craig nigrelli]

NEW VIDEO THIS MORNING … AND A BIZARRE TWIST IN WHAT’S BEING CALLING THE HEIST OF THE CENTURY.

SURVEILLANCE VIDEO MAKING THE ROUNDS ONLINE SHOWS TWO OF THE LOUVRE THIEVES MAKING THEIR GETAWAY — NOT ON FOOT, BUT ON A CHERRY PICKER.

ONE WEARING A MOTORCYCLE HELMET; THE OTHER A YELLOW CONSTRUCTION VEST — THE PAIR LOWER THEMSELVES FROM A BROKEN WINDOW, THEN TAKE OFF ON A MOTORCYCLE INTO THE PARIS NIGHT.

INVESTIGATORS SAY THE ENTIRE OPERATION TOOK JUST SEVEN MINUTES — FROM THE MOMENT THEY CUT THROUGH THE GLASS TO THE MOMENT THEY VANISHED.

THEY GOT AWAY WITH EIGHT IMPERIAL JEWELRY PIECES WORTH MORE THAN ONE-HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS.

THE LOUVRE’S DIRECTOR ADMITS SECURITY “WEAKNESSES,” INCLUDING A CAMERA POINTED THE WRONG WAY — FAILING TO CAPTURE THE VERY WINDOW WHERE THE THIEVES GOT IN.. AND OUT.

Why this story matters

A daring jewelry heist at the Louvre highlights vulnerabilities in museum security and raises questions about organized crime and insider involvement in the art world.

Museum security

The discovery of security weaknesses, including misdirected cameras and underinvestment, draws attention to the risks faced by cultural institutions and the challenges of protecting valuable collections.

Organized crime

Officials told ABC that the evidence suggests the theft was carried out by organized crime, emphasizing the ongoing threat posed to major art and cultural sites by sophisticated criminal networks.

Art world vulnerability

The theft of $102 million in imperial jewelry underscores the susceptibility of the global art market and museums to high-stakes heists, raising concerns about preventive measures and recovery efforts.

Get the big picture

Synthesized coverage insights across 25 media outlets

History lesson

Large museum heists have occurred before, including famous cases such as the 1990 Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum theft in Boston. Prior thefts in France, including those from regional museums, have periodically led to scrutiny of museum security protocols.

Oppo research

Opponents of current security practices are pushing for immediate upgrades, blaming either museum management or government authorities for lapses. Some political figures have used the opportunity to criticize rivals over surveillance and resource allocation.

Solution spotlight

Laurence des Cars pledged to establish new security perimeters and upgrade CCTV coverage. French authorities have launched a large-scale investigation with over 100 officers assigned to the case, according to officials.

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Sources

Bias comparison

Media outlets on the left neutrally portray the Louvre heist, emphasizing "thieves escaping" with "historic jewels."
Media outlets in the center offer granular details, like a direct quote, without the political framing.
Media outlets on the right frame the event as a significant security failure, using terms like "bandits" and highlighting "no cop in sight" and the thieves "slowly escaped."

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Media landscape

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25 total sources

Key points from the Left

Four thieves broke into the Louvre on Oct. 19 and stole jewels worth approximately $102 million, according to French Interior Minister Laurent Nunéz.
A video surfaced on Oct. 23 showing two individuals escaping the museum wearing black outfits and reflective jackets after the heist.
The Louvre was closed for several days after the heist, with its president, Laurence des Cars, stating she offered to resign but was refused by Culture Minister Rachida Dati.
The stolen jewels were taken from the Galerie d'Apollon, where the thieves used power tools to break in and escape within five minutes.

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- Matt Bomer and the cast of White Collar weigh in on the Louvre heist in clever post
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Key points from the Center

On Oct. 19, robbers shattered a window and stole eight pieces of jewelry from the Galerie d'Apollon at the Louvre museum, valued at $100 million.
A powered extendable ladder allowed two suspects to reach the second-floor balcony of the Galerie d'Apollon, where they broke a window and stole jewelry, officials say.
A video circulated on Oct. 23 showing two people descending an extendable ladder at the Louvre wearing all-black outfits and one with a reflective jacket.
The Louvre was closed for several days, and Laurence des Cars, its president and director, testified on Oct. 22, saying, "We did not detect the thieves' arrival early enough."
When asked about the circulating footage on Oct. 23, prosecutors said the Paris Prosecutor's office has no new updates while officials confirm all four suspects escaped on two motorbikes.

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- Louvre heist: Video appears to show alleged thieves escaping
  BBC News
- "They're in a Scooter, They're Going to Leave!": Here Are the First Images of the Burglary at the Louvre
  La Libre

Key points from the Right

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