New Video Captures How the Louvre Thieves Made Their Escape After Executing the €88 Million Jewel Heist in Just 8 Minutes Using a Furniture Lift

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A 36-second video has emerged showing two suspects escaping from the Louvre Museum's Galerie d’Apollon on a furniture lift. In the video the men seem to be looking around as they flee minutes after stealing eight pieces of jewellery worth €88 million on October 19, 2025.

The footage, verified by Le Parisien, depicts the men in black clothing—one in a yellow hi-vis vest and the other wearing a motorcycle helmet. They make their way down to two waiting scooters along the Quai François Mitterrand. A voice on the clip, possibly a security guard, reports via walkie-talkie: “The individuals are on scooters. They are going to leave.”

The robbery occurred shortly after the museum opened at 09:30 local time. Four suspects used a vehicle-mounted mechanical lift from a stolen truck parked on the Quai François Mitterrand to reach a balcony overlooking the River Seine. Photos from the scene show a ladder positioned against a first-floor window.

See Also: The Mona Lisa, a gold toilet and now the Louvre’s royal jewels: a fascinating history of art heists

Two thieves cut through the window, entered the gallery, and threatened security guards, leading to an evacuation of visitors. Police state the thieves spent four minutes inside before escaping at 09:38 on the scooters.

The stolen items include historical pieces from France's crown jewels collection, which were spared from a 1887 government auction. They include the Crown of Empress Eugenie (1853), adorned with over 200 pearls and nearly 2,000 diamonds, a wedding gift from Napoleon III.

Also taken were the Sapphire-and-Diamond Headpiece worn by Queen Marie-Amelie, along with a Sapphire Necklace and a matching single Sapphire Earring.

The thieves also stole a 1810 gift from Napoleon Bonaparte to Marie-Louise of Austria, a diamond-encrusted Reliquary Brooch worn by Empress Eugenie, and a Large Bodice Bow, also from Eugenie’s collection. These 19th-century items symbolize France's royal heritage and imperial power.

French Culture Minister Rachida Dati described the robbers as experienced, based on footage showing them entering calmly and smashing the cases. She noted their well-prepared plan to flee on scooters, in an interview with TF1.

The entire operation reportedly lasted less than seven minutes, according to investigators, highlighting security gaps. A preliminary report cited by French media found that one in three rooms in the targeted area did not have enough CCTV coverage. The Louvre's director has acknowledged insufficient cameras on outside walls.

Around 60 investigators are working the case currently, analysing CCTV along the escape route. Prosecutors believe the four suspects acted on orders from a criminal organization. Authorities are searching for the men, described as masked and coordinated.

Recovery efforts face challenges. The jewels' high recognition makes them difficult to sell intact; experts say they are likely being dismantled, with gems recut and sold individually overseas, rendering them untraceable. The video, filmed from a nearby window in the Louvre overlooking the quay, provides key evidence of the getaway.

This heist marks one of France's most notable in decades, prompting reviews of museum security protocols. The Galerie d’Apollon, housing the jewels since the 16th century under King Francis I, remains closed for investigation. [Rh/Eth]

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