The Spanish series ‘Money Heist’ was released in 2017, which was based on the fictional story of money being stolen from a bank called ‘Bank of Spain’. The series, which has 5 seasons, shows a character named ‘The Professor’ planning to rob the bank and sell it. The series attracted worldwide attention.

A recent theft in France, in the style of a movie like ‘Money Heist’, took place. The theft that took place on October 19 at the world-famous Louvre Museum in the capital, Paris, has captured the attention of the world. The precious jewels of Napoleon and his wives were stolen last Sunday. They were known as historical treasures of France.

According to the international media BBC, nine precious jewels, including the Eugenie Crown (tiara), a necklace and a brooch, made in 1855 for Napoleon III’s wife, Eugenie de Montijo, have been stolen. Empress Eugenie’s crown was set with 212 pearls and about 2,000 diamonds. This jewelry set is considered extremely valuable.

How did the theft happen?

According to the international media ‘Time’ and ‘The Guardian’, four people reached the Louvre Museum at around 9:30 am local time. Two of them climbed a ‘mechanical’ ladder installed in a truck and reached the ‘balcony’ on the first floor. The masked men then used a disc cutter to cut a window and enter the gallery, which houses the priceless collection of Napoleon and Josephine. After the theft, they climbed down the stairs and fled with two others waiting on a motorbike. They were dressed in what appeared to be workmen's clothing. 

According to international media outlet Al-Jazeera, the theft took place within 4 to 8 minutes. The thieves tried to set fire to the truck as they fled, but failed. This is why the helmets, angle grinders, disc cutters, jackets and other materials they used were left at the scene. Investigators are now conducting a detailed analysis of the materials. The thieves are believed to be professional thieves. French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez has described the incident as one of the biggest thefts ever. The Louvre Museum was closed for three days after the theft. 

Slight hope of finding the jewels

According to investigators, the thieves left some pieces of Eugenie's damaged crown on the road while fleeing. Based on that, the police have moved forward with the investigation. CCTV footage is also being studied. More than 100 investigators have been deployed to investigate the incident. According to 'The Guardian', France's organized crime control unit (BRB) and experts in cultural heritage trafficking are also involved in the investigation. 

Now, based on the tools and evidence left by the person involved in the theft, there is a slight hope that the jewels will be found. More than 150 DNA samples, fingerprints and other evidence collected from the scene have raised such hope. Paris prosecutor Lor Beku told the French newspaper 'Ouest-France' that there is a 'slight hope' of finding the jewels and that she is 'optimistic' about the investigation. 'If the thief has a criminal record, the results could come within a few days,' she said.

According to the French newspaper ‘Le Monde’, the museum’s director Laurence des Cars has pointed to the weaknesses of security and infrastructure in the theft, while giving a statement to the French Senate’s culture committee. Government officials have described the incident as a “national shame” and have pledged to pay attention to the security of cultural sites, The Guardian reported.

French President Emmanuel Macron has described the theft as an attack on France’s heritage. The Louvre Museum is the most visited museum in the world. It houses about 380,000 historical objects, including valuable works of art such as the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. Its security system is considered one of the strictest in the world. But the Mona Lisa was stolen from here before in 1911.