In a striking echo of a multi-million-pound robbery, the Louvre Museum in Paris has begun installing new security measures at the very window used by thieves to steal priceless crown jewels just months ago.
Security Operation Mirrors Brazen Heist
On Tuesday 23 December 2025, with the world's most-visited museum closed to the public, a scene reminiscent of October's audacious theft played out. A crane hoisted a freight lift to a second-floor balcony, but this time the occupants were authorised maintenance workers in security helmets and high-visibility vests, not jewel thieves. Their mission was to secure new metal bars outside the now-infamous window of the Apollo Gallery.
The Louvre did not publicly comment on the security operation. Samuel Lasnel, from the lift company Grima-Nacelles, confirmed his crew arrived before dawn to carry out the high-profile work. "We have already worked at the Louvre — on the interior, on the exterior, inside and outside the pyramid — we've been here several times," he told The Associated Press. "The Louvre knows us well."
The Stunning October Robbery
The urgent security upgrade follows the stunning heist on 19 October, when a team of thieves posing as workers used an identical method. They deployed a similar lift, sliced through the window, and entered the ornate Apollo Gallery. In a meticulously planned raid lasting just eight minutes, they smashed display cases with grinders and escaped with treasures valued at an estimated $102 million (approximately £80 million).
The stolen haul included historically significant pieces such as:
- A diamond-and-emerald necklace given by Napoleon to Empress Marie-Louise.
- Jewels linked to 19th-century Queens Marie-Amalie and Hortense.
- A pearl-and-diamond tiara that belonged to Napoleon III's wife, Empress Eugénie.
While the empress's imperial crown, set with over 1,300 diamonds, was later recovered outside the museum, the rest of the collection remains missing.
Investigation Progress and Ongoing Hunt
The Paris prosecutor has revealed that two of the suspects have 'partially' admitted their participation in the theft. All four alleged thieves have been arrested and charged in connection with the robbery. However, despite these developments, the investigation continues with the primary goal of locating the missing jewels.
This high-profile incident has forced a major reassessment of security protocols at one of the world's premier cultural institutions. The sight of workers legally using the same technique as criminals underscores the museum's urgent efforts to rectify vulnerabilities exposed by the October raid, aiming to prevent any repeat of the devastating theft.
