The French flag flies over the Louvre in Paris.Image: keystone
June 1, 2026, 7:39 p.mJune 1, 2026, 7:39 p.m
After the spectacular art theft from the Louvre in Paris last October, there is a possible new lead to Belgium. Belgian investigators are said to have found photos of the interior of the Louvre and in particular the Galerie d’Apollon, where the robbery took place, on the cell phones of several arrested thieves, reported the magazine “Paris Match” and the newspaper “Le Parisien” with reference to the judiciary. France and Belgium have initiated joint investigations. The Paris public prosecutor’s office did not want to confirm or deny the new investigation.
The photos were discovered on the cell phones of suspects from Eastern Europe who specialized in cargo theft, the newspapers reported. The evaluation of the photos is still in progress. According to judicial circles, the investigation should clarify whether there is a connection between the cargo thieves arrested in Belgium and the four suspects now imprisoned in France, who are said to have managed to break into the Louvre on October 19, 2025 in order to steal crown jewels worth an estimated 88 million euros. There is still no trace of the prey.
Burglars drove up with a lifting platform
The incident made international headlines and sparked a debate about the security of the museum. The then museum director has since resigned. The masked people had parked a truck equipped with a lifting platform next to the museum. While two of the perpetrators waited on scooters on the street, the other two used the lift to reach a balcony on the first floor and from there through a window into the museum, where they also threatened staff. The whole coup only lasted a few minutes.
Immediately after the break-in at the museum, the French investigators called in their Belgian colleagues because they were worried that the stolen jewels could end up on the black market of the Antwerp diamond dealers. Reality TV star Kim Kardashian’s jewelry worth millions, which was stolen from her in a robbery in Paris in 2016, was probably sold there. (sda/dpa)