The theft at the Louvre was apparently meticulously planned. Culture Minister Rachida Dati spoke of an operation that lasted four minutes. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez had previously spoken of seven minutes. This is what is known so far about the actions of the four perpetrators.
With a lifting ladder onto the balcony
It has been confirmed that there were four perpetrators. Two of them, wearing yellow reflective vests, posed as workers. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez told journalists that the individuals entered from outside using a cherry picker.
Social media users point out that the burglars apparently used the blind spot of a surveillance camera to break in. However, it's not clear from the image whether the camera actually didn't capture the break-in.
According to the former Paris police chief, the team was previously exploring the Louvre. The windows on the balcony, which they had accessed using the cherry picker, had been cut open with a power grinder.
Display cases deliberately broken
Two men entered the building, while one stood guard outside, according to French media reports. The fourth man's role is unknown. The thieves are said to have taken an elevator from the second floor to the Galerie d'Apollon. Once there, they deliberately smashed certain display cases and stole the jewelry, Dati says.
Le Parisien spoke with a tour guide who works at the Louvre. According to him, Eugénie's crown, which was found stolen and then broken, was in the display case closest to the window. The broken display case contained the crown, a tiara, pearls, diamond brooches, and a pendant, he said. The second display case, according to the guide, contains a set, a necklace, and a tiara.
After grabbing the loot, the perpetrators fled on two high-powered TMax scooters. How the burglars escaped from the Louvre is unknown. CCTV captured them on their way toward the A6 motorway.
