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France continues to question how a four-man gang carried out a rapid robbery inside the Louvre on Oct.19, stealing jewels worth an estimated $102 million in a daylight operation that lasted less than seven minutes.
Investigators say the group used a stolen truck with an extendable ladder, climbed to a first-floor window of the Apollo Gallery, smashed the unsecured glass, and cut open the display cases with angle grinders before escaping on scooters.
Authorities still have not recovered the eight stolen pieces, which include an emerald and diamond necklace Napoleon I gave to Marie Louise and a pearl and diamond diadem that once belonged to the wife of Napoleon III.
France’s Court of Auditors presented its findings this week and said the robbery exposed major weaknesses in the museum’s security system, as reported by Agence France-Presse (AFP).
The head of the audit institution, Pierre Moscovici, called the incident a “deafening wake-up call” and said upgrades had moved at a “woefully inadequate pace”.
The report reviewed management decisions between 2018 and 2024 and concluded that the museum prioritized “high-profile and attractive operations” instead of essential renovation and security investments.
It cited long delays in the deployment of protective equipment and said the museum “failed” to address persistent gaps during the period under review.
The Louvre’s management said it accepted most of the recommendations while adding that the report did not acknowledge several steps it had already taken.
French media identified one of the men in custody as Abdoulaye N, a 39-year-old social media figure from Aubervilliers who had worked as a security guard at the Pompidou Center.
Justice officials confirmed his identity and said he faces charges of organized theft and criminal conspiracy.
Reports say investigators found his DNA on one of the damaged display cases and on items left at the scene, including gloves, a high-visibility vest, and disc cutters.
Media outlets also reported that he had posted videos on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram under the name Doudou Cross Bitume, often showing motorbike stunts in Paris and Aubervilliers. Some clips feature a Yamaha TMax, the same model of mega-scooter used in the gang’s escape.
He was arrested at his home six days after the robbery. Neighbors described him to local media as “helpful” and “decent”.
The Paris prosecutor, Laure Beccuau, said the suspect offered limited statements but “partially admitted” involvement, as reported by the Guardian.
She also noted that the suspects’ backgrounds do not match typical high-level organized crime operations, which has prompted speculation in French media that the gang may have carried out the robbery for an unidentified organizer.
Another man arrested last week had been convicted alongside Abdoulaye N for a jewelry store robbery in 2014, according to the prosecutor. French media reported that Abdoulaye N’s record includes 15 offenses that range from drug possession to driving without a license and causing danger to others.
His lawyer, Maxime Cavaille, said the defense team will monitor the case closely to ensure respect for the presumption of innocence and to protect the suspect’s rights, given the high public interest.
Four suspects remain in custody as the investigation continues.
The Court of Auditors says the heist should push the Louvre and other French cultural institutions to accelerate overdue security improvements. Investigators also work to trace the whereabouts of the stolen jewels, which remain missing.
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