Louvre Jewel Heist: Four Suspects Charged After Brazen Daylight Raid

Louvre Jewel Heist: What We Know About the Suspects

Paris State Prosecutor Laure Beccuau held a press briefing on Oct. 29, 2025, flanked by officials from the French police anti-gang unit BRB (Brigade de Répression du Banditisme) and the Central Office for Combating Trafficking in Cultural Property (OCBC), as authorities opened a judicial investigation into last month’s audacious robbery at the Louvre. (Credit: Stephane De Sakutin—AFP via Getty Images)

Two people— a 38-year-old woman and a 37-year-old man—have been formally charged in connection with the daylight theft of priceless Napoleonic crown jewels. Prosecutor Beccuau said the 37-year-old man faces charges of theft by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy, while the 38-year-old woman is accused of acting as an accomplice. Both deny involvement and remain in custody as the investigation continues.

Defense response: Adrien Sorrentino, the lawyer for the accused woman, told reporters his client is “devastated” and “does not understand how she is implicated in any of the elements she is accused of.” French daily Le Parisien reported the woman was in tears when she appeared in court to confirm her address and hear the charges.

Authorities say a total of four people have now been charged. Earlier this week two men, aged 34 and 39 and both from north of Paris, were charged with theft by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy. Prosecutors said the 34-year-old—reportedly an Algerian national—was arrested at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport as he prepared to board a flight to Algeria after his DNA matched traces found on a scooter believed to have been used in the getaway.

Three other people arrested in connection with the case have since been released. Lawyers Sofia Bougrine and Noémie Gorin, representing one of those released, said their client was not charged and criticized the wide sweep of arrests: “In these serious crime cases, we find that waves of arrests look more like drift nets,” Bougrine told AFP.

There is no indication that the remaining stolen items have been recovered. Beccuau expressed frustration at leaks from the probe to the press, warning those disclosures could jeopardize detectives’ work.

How the heist unfolded

Investigators say the theft took less than eight minutes on the morning of Oct. 19, when thieves escaped with eight pieces from France’s Crown Jewels. Two of the four attackers entered the museum via the Seine-facing façade at about 9:30 a.m., shortly after opening. Using a cherry picker positioned on the street, they accessed the Apollo Gallery jewel room on the first floor—less than 300 yards from the Mona Lisa—and smashed display cases to seize the jewels.

The haul included emerald- and sapphire-encrusted diadems, necklaces and brooches once worn by the wives of Napoleon Bonaparte and other 19th-century royals. One item—the Empress’s crown, fitted with more than 1,000 jewels—was later found outside the museum. Officials estimate the total value of the stolen collection at roughly $100 million.

Surveillance footage, authorities said, showed the thieves entering “calmly” and committing the theft without using violence against people. France’s Culture Minister Rachida Dati described the operation as “very professional.”

Political and security fallout

The incident has intensified scrutiny of security at the Louvre and placed renewed pressure on President Emmanuel Macron and Louvre director Laurence des Cars. Macron called the theft “an attack on a heritage that we cherish because it is our history,” vowing to recover the works and bring those responsible to justice.

Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin acknowledged serious oversight failures, noting that the fact a freight lift could be installed on a public street outside the museum without detection “shows that our systems must be reassessed.” He confirmed a full security review is underway and said the episode “projects a negative image of France.”

Additional reporting by Rebecca Schneid.

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