In a direct response to one of the most audacious art thefts in recent history, the Louvre Museum in Paris has begun installing robust security bars on the very window used by thieves to steal crown jewels valued at a staggering $102 million.
A Scene of Déjà Vu with a Crucial Difference
On Tuesday, 23 December 2025, a freight lift ascended towards the Louvre's second-floor balcony. This sight mirrored the events of 19 October, but with a critical distinction: the occupants were not criminals, but authorised maintenance workers. Their mission was to fit new metal bars to the now-notorious window of the Apollo Gallery, the point of entry for the October heist.
The museum, which remains the world's most visited, was closed for the high-profile security operation. Workers from the lift company Grima-Nacelles, clad in high-visibility vests and helmets, carried out the work before dawn. Samuel Lasnel of the company confirmed his team's prior work at the landmark, stating, "The Louvre knows us well."
The Eight-Minute Heist That Shocked the World
The security upgrade addresses the shocking breach that occurred just two months prior. On that day in October, a team of thieves, disguised as workers, used a similar freight lift to access the same balcony. They then sliced through the window to enter the Apollo Gallery.
Inside, they seized an array of priceless treasures in a meticulously timed raid. The haul included ornate tiaras, a pair of emerald earrings, and a magnificent sapphire necklace. Just eight minutes after entering, the thieves were gone, leaving behind a major security scandal for the iconic institution.
Investigation Continues as Jewels Remain Missing
While the physical security of the museum is being reinforced, the hunt for the stolen jewels continues. French authorities have made significant progress in the case, having arrested and charged all four suspected thieves. Despite these arrests, the location of the $102 million worth of crown jewels remains a mystery, with none of the items recovered to date.
The Louvre administration has not issued any public statement regarding Tuesday's specific security operation. However, the visible installation of bars represents the museum's tangible, if belated, steps to rectify the failings exposed by the spectacular theft. The event has forced a slow but necessary reckoning with security protocols at one of the globe's most prestigious cultural sites.
