I feel like it’s a sequel to ‘The Thomas Crown Affair’

[2muchcoffeeman]

PARIS (AP) — In a brazen, seven-minute strike, thieves used a basket lift to reach the Louvre on Sunday morning and, as tourists were already inside, forced a window, smashed display cases and fled with jewels of “inestimable value,” France’s interior minister said.

The world’s most visited museum closed for the day as police sealed gates and ushered visitors out during the investigation.

“A robbery took place this morning at the opening of the Louvre Museum,” Culture Minister Rachida Dati wrote on X. The museum cited “exceptional reasons” for the closure. No injuries were reported.

Around 9:30 a.m. several intruders forced open a window, stole jewels from vitrines and escaped on two-wheelers, according to the Interior Ministry. It said forensic work is underway and a precise inventory of the stolen objects is being compiled, adding that the items have “inestimable” historical value. Dati and Nuñez were on site with museum leadership.

Thieves strike Louvre in brazen jewel heist as the world’s most visited museum shuts

 

[waterytart]

Leverage fans know it was Parker.

 

[Bubbler]

I wonder who the fence is?

 

[SixToe]

Museum official: "We can't stop everything."

Um, yeah, you can. The Brits do it pretty well with the crown jewels in the Tower of London. If you lean too closely they tell you to move back.

 

[UNCGrad]

Sweet, another heist doc on Netflix can now be on its way.

 

[Deskgrunt50]

My first thought was the next Ocean’s 11 movie. The whole heist seems like a movie plot.

 

[Neutral Corner]

If it's stupid and it works...

 

[qtlaw]

If it's stupid and it works...

Box cutters…..

 

[Here me roar]

I mean there's a picture of like a ladder leaning up against the building to a balcony. Did nobody notice? The ease with which this was executed is mind-boggling.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

I mean there's a picture of like a ladder leaning up against the building to a balcony. Did nobody notice? The ease with which this was executed is mind-boggling.

Yeah, that’s the truck they used … and left sitting there.

 

[Driftwood]

So, do we play Windmills of Your Mind or Sinnerman?

 

[maumann]

Jewel's greatest hits.

 

[2muchcoffeeman]

So, do we play Windmills of Your Mind or Sinnerman?

Sinnerman.

Always Sinnerman.

 

[Driftwood]

While I very much appreciated Rene Russo in the remake, it's very hard to beat the King of Cool.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

Yeah, that’s the truck they used … and left sitting there.

 

[PCLoadLetter]

 

[Inky_Wretch]

 

[DanOregon]

I do wonder how something like this works. You'd probably have to front an easy $100k despite the "low-tech" nature of the heist. I could see Saudi money being behind it. Some sheik visits the Louvre with one of his lady friends, she keeps talking about the jewels. Sheik makes some phone calls, finds a middleman who hires the crew, they scope it out. Boom, its done. I'd be really surprised if a fence is involved. Hell, I don't think I'd participate in a heist if I didn't know what my cut on the deal was from the start. Doing something like this "on spec" is nuts.

 

[waterytart]

The value of pieces like these is their provenance. Yes, there’s the inherent value of the stones and gold, but I bet that pales compared to their worth as among the last Crown Jewels of France. So I agree—it’s not a project for a fence. There’s a buyer in place.

 

[waterytart]

Experts are certain the pieces have already been taken apart and melted down. I guess I don’t have a future as an international jewel thief.