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Louvre Jewel Heist Loss Put at €88 Million as Police Probe Four Identified Suspects

The uninsured haul highlights France's practice of self‑insuring works kept in national museums.

Overview

  • Paris prosecutors said the material loss was estimated at €88 million, a figure that excludes the jewels’ historical value.
  • Investigators have identified four people present during the theft and are analyzing fingerprints recovered from the scene.
  • The cherry‑picker used in the operation was obtained through a fake moving rental, and an employee confronted at the site has filed a complaint.
  • Louvre director Laurence des Cars will be questioned by the Senate’s culture commission, and the Culture Ministry has launched a heritage‑security mission and an IGAC administrative inquiry.
  • The stolen pieces were not covered by private insurance because the State acts as its own insurer for works kept in their home institutions, with separate ‘clou‑à‑clou’ coverage and a state guarantee applying only to loans and major exhibitions.