The Louvre Museum heist has since October 19 grabbed the headlines for being the biggest heist of this year. It saw two thieves disguised as construction workers steal eight Napoleonic treasures within seven minutes. The valuables included Empress Eugenie’s bodice, a pearl and diamond crown, Queen Marie-Amelie’s necklace and ring, and more such jewellery worth $102 million stolen from Galerie d’Apollon at Louvre Museum in Paris. It led to a three-day shutdown of the museum in the wake of the “historical damage” that the theft has caused.
Nearly a hundred investigators have joined the manhunt to locate the culprits behind the theft of French jewels. Experts believe the chances of recovering the priceless treasures remain bleak however the robbers might face difficulties profiting from their heist as dismantling the pieces to sell the gems individually or melting down the precious metals would drastically reduce their value. While the search is on for the thieves, social media was abuzz with memes comparing the theft to popular Indian films like the Dhoom franchise with Internet users calling it a ‘Dhoom 2-style heist’. The 2006 film featured a Louvre-set heist undertaken by lead star Hritik Roshan’s character Aryan in an edgy plot. As the search goes on for the Louvre Museum heist, here are some of the famous heists in history where diamonds, paintings and sculptures were amongst the most robbed valuables.
The Mona Lisa Theft, Louvre Museum – 1911
In 1911, the world’s most famous painting, The Mona Lisa, was robbed from the Louvre Museum in one of history’s most infamous art heists. The thief, dressed as a museum worker, hid overnight inside the gallery and simply walked out with Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece concealed beneath his clothing. Its disappearance made the painting an even bigger international sensation. After two years, an Italian immigrant, Vincenzo Peruggia, attempted to sell The Mona Lisa painting to an art dealer in Florence, claiming its return to Italy in an act of heroism. However, he was arrested, and the painting was returned to the Louvre Museum in 1913.
The Millennium Dome Diamond Heist, London – 2000
In November 2000, a gang attempted one of Britain’s most daunting robberies at London’s Millennium Dome, now the O2 Arena. Their target was the prominent De Beers’ diamond exhibition valued at over $500 million. The thieves planned to smash into the Dome using a truck disguised as a Christmas tree delivery. However, the Metropolitan Police’s high-octane Flying Squad, tipped off through “Operation Magician,” was ready. Two hundred officers, including undercover agents posing as staff and boats stationed on the Thames, intercepted the gang. While the jewels had already been swapped for replicas, the robbers were arrested on the spot.
The Carlton Hotel Diamond Heist, Cannes – 1994
In 1994, Cannes’ luxurious Carlton Hotel which got infamous later for similar crimes, was stormed by the notorious Pink Panthers gang. As the store was closing, three masked men burst in, brandishing machine guns and firing. Amid the chaos, they looted $60 million worth of diamonds and jewels in minutes before vanishing. When investigators investigated the scene, they discovered the gunfire had been blanks, used just as an intimidation tactic rather than actual violence. The heist, executed without injury but with military precision, became one of the first to cement the Pink Panthers’ reputation as criminal masterminds.
The Harry Winston Store, Paris – 2008
In December 2008, the Pink Panthers struck again, targeting the prestigious Harry Winston jewellery store in Paris, located in reality near a police station! The robbery had four men disguised themselves as women, wearing wigs and makeup and entering the boutique armed with handguns. Addressing staff by their first names, they demonstrated insider knowledge of hidden safes and security systems. Within 20 minutes, they made off with $107 million in diamonds and high jewellery, in one of the largest hauls in French history. None of the stolen treasures were ever recovered, and the audacious cross-dressing deception became one of the group’s most talked-about tactics.
The Graff Diamonds Robbery, London – 2009
The Pink Panthers made headlines again in 2009 with the $65 million Graff Diamonds heist in London, in one of the largest jewellery robberies in British history. Two men, disguised with prosthetic makeup applied by a professional artist, entered the Mayfair store dressed in sharp suits. Hiding handguns, they forced staff to hand over 43 pieces of high-end jewellery. Their near-perfect plan unraveled when they abandoned a getaway car containing a mobile phone that led police directly to Solomon Beyene and Craig Calderwood. Despite their Hollywood-style disguises, the thieves were caught, proving that even the most sophisticated heists can be decoded with a single mistake.
