'We All Wanted Them To Win': Fans Outraged As Police Catch Alleged Louvre Heist Masterminds

A dramatic turn in one of the most audacious museum robberies of recent memory as French authorities have arrested two men in connection with the daylight theft of priceless crown jewels from the Louvre.

The arrests, announced by the Paris prosecutor's office on 26 October 2025, mark the first substantive break in the investigation into the brazen 19 October raid in the Galerie d'Apollon.

The jewels, valued at about £77 million ($102 million), remain largely missing, and investigators warn the pieces may have been dismantled or smuggled abroad. While many in the public greeted the arrests with relief, others have expressed anger and disbelief at how the theft could have occurred in a museum of the Louvre's stature.

Arrests Confirmed by Paris Prosecutor, but Details Remain Limited

Paris's prosecutor Laure Beccuau confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that 'des personnes ont été interpellées' in the inquiry into the Louvre break-in, saying further disclosures could harm a complex, ongoing investigation.

The statement noted one suspect had been arrested at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport as he attempted to leave the country, while reports in French media placed the other arrest in Seine-Saint-Denis. Beccuau declined to confirm the exact number of detainees or whether the jewels had been recovered.

The prosecutor has repeatedly underlined that forensic work, including more than 150 DNA and papillary samples taken from items abandoned at the scene, remains central to tracing the gang and any network behind the theft.

The prosecutor's public rebuke of media leaks highlights the sensitivity and pace of the probe. Beccuau warned that premature reports could jeopardise lines of inquiry and the safety of a wide investigative operation involving roughly 100 officers drawn from specialist units.

Forensics and Footage: How Investigators Closed the Net

Investigators say a combination of DNA traces, fingerprints from equipment left behind, and surveillance footage from neighbouring buildings has been crucial. The thieves used a truck-mounted lift to access a second-floor window, smashed two high-security vitrines with angle grinders, and fled on scooters in under eight minutes — actions that left a wealth of physical evidence despite the gallery itself lacking internal cameras.

Police sources have told reporters that DNA found on helmets and gloves helped identify at least one of the suspects being held.

Specialist units, including the Brigade de Répression du Banditisme and the Office central de lutte contre le trafic de biens culturels (OCBC), have been coordinating the hunt for accomplices and tracing the escape routes captured on external CCTV.

Prosecutors have emphasised two working theories: an organised-crime operation acting on spec, or a theft carried out at the request of a private collector, a distinction with enormous implications for the likelihood of recovering intact pieces.

Social Media Fawns Over Thieves, Some Call the Heist 'Amazing'

Within hours of the raid, social platforms turned the robbery into a viral spectacle, with a substantial slice of online reaction admiring the thieves' audacity rather than condemning the crime. Posts on Reddit and Instagram celebrated the speed and apparent polish of the operation, while meme culture — from short-form videos to viral images — recast the event as a cinematic 'heist of the century'.

Users openly marvelled at the method, with dozens of TikTok and Instagram reels joking about Ocean's Eleven-style execution and taunting whether the robbers would be caught. On Reddit, threads that collated CCTV clips and commentary drew upvoted posts praising the thieves' planning, and some users wrote variations of 'we wanted them to win', reflecting an undercurrent of perverse admiration.

The virality extended beyond casual mockery. Commercial and cultural actors exploited the moment. A German lift manufacturer linked to the vehicle used in the raid went viral after posting tongue-in-cheek content, which sparked debate about opportunistic marketing that borders on glamorising criminality.

Despite the fascination and folklore forming around the Louvre heist, French authorities continue to stress that this was not a victimless crime but an assault on cultural heritage. As the public weighs thrill against theft, the enduring question remains whether the world's most celebrated museum can restore not only its stolen jewels — but also its shaken sense of security.