Video released in France shows the brazen robbery, including one of the offenders dressed in an hi-vis vest. Photo: Screengrab
By Caitlin Rawling, ABC News
French media has released new footage of thieves stealing eight pieces of historical jewellery from the Louvre on October 19 last year.
In a tweet shared by French news organisation Franceinfo, surveillance footage from the Apollo Gallery shows one thief in a yellow hi-vis vest running towards a glass display case, then beginning to remove the jewellery from inside.
A few seconds later, a second thief wearing a motorcycle helmet appears and begins removing jewellery from the case behind the person in the yellow hi-vis vest.
DOCUMENT FRANCETV. Casse du Louvre : les images exclusives du vol des bijoux, captées par la vidéosurveillance de la galerie d'Apollon pic.twitter.com/yDnXjsFbR0
— franceinfo (@franceinfo) January 18, 2026
Guards did not interact with thieves
In the clip, which runs slightly longer than twp minutes, four of the museum's guards stand together and watch as two thieves smash the glass on the display cabinets and begin putting the jewellery in their pockets and the bags they brought with them.
One of the museum's guards walks towards the thieves while holding a metal retractable queue barrier, but does not use it.
All four of the guards then stand still as the two men run out of the Apollo Gallery.
French forensic police collecting evidence at the scene of the jewel theft at the Louvre museum. Photo: Laurent Caron / Hans Lucas via AFP
Managers at the Louvre have stressed that staff were not trained to confront thieves and were instructed to prioritise the evacuation of visitors, according to French newspaper Le Monde.
The heist took between six and seven minutes in total, with the theft of the jewellery taking about 4 minutes.
The theft happened just 250 metres from the Mona Lisa.
Some of the stolen items. Photo: Supplied / Interpol
What did the Louvre robbers steal?
A total of nine historical jewels were targeted by the criminals, but only eight were actually stolen.
The collection included pieces owned by Emperor Napoleon, his nephew Napoleon III and their wives, the empresses Marie-Louise and Eugénie.
The jewellery that was stolen is estimated to be worth US$102 million.
French police outside the museum after the robbery in 2025. Photo: AFP
Investigations continue
Several French media organisations have reported that four suspects were in police custody, including the two suspected thieves shown in the surveillance footage.
The security failures highlighted by the break-in, which was conducted on a Sunday morning in broad daylight, have led to major pressure being put on Louvre director Laurence des Cars, who has apologised, Le Monde reported.
Metal bars have been installed over the windows in the Apollo Gallery since the heist.
The eight stolen jewels have not been recovered by police.
- ABC
