Two men suspected of stealing €88 million (£75 million) worth of crown jewels from the Louvre museum in Paris in October 2025 have told investigators that the alleged mastermind behind the heist was disappointed with the haul and thought “they could have taken more,” according to French newspaper Le Monde.
Detailed account of the burglary
The suspects, identified locally as Abdoulaye N and Ghelamallah A, gave a detailed account of the burglary to two investigative judges last month, Le Monde reported, citing transcripts. The heist made global headlines and led to the resignation of the museum’s director.
The duo claimed they broke into the Louvre’s Apollo gallery on orders from a client they refused to name out of fear for their families. They seized eight pieces of jewelry, including tiaras, a brooch, necklaces, and earrings. However, during their escape, they dropped a gem-encrusted crown worn in the 19th century by Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III.
Damaged crown and admission
“Yes, it was me, it fell out of my bag,” Abdoulaye N reportedly admitted, as judges showed him a photograph of the badly damaged crown. “What we did wasn’t right, it’s very serious,” he added. He said the pair handed over the remaining loot to the alleged mastermind, who “wasn’t happy” with the outcome. “He thought we could have taken more,” Abdoulaye N told investigators.
Both men said they were hired only two or three days before the break-in and were given a video filmed inside the gallery showing the cases with Napoleonic jewelry to prepare for the heist. Abdoulaye N said they were given a clear mission: “Break windows and retrieve jewellery from inside the display cases.”
Financial motivation and lack of awareness
A former minor social media star with a passion for motorbikes, Abdoulaye N said he was in “dire straits” financially and was promised €15,000 to €20,000 for his role, with the possibility of more depending on the proceeds. He said the client’s motivation was financial, intending to resell the stolen jewels. “I knew I was going to rob the Louvre,” he told investigators.
Ghelamallah A, however, said he did not know the target was the Louvre, believing it was “a jewellery store where they make jewellery in Paris.” He said, “I would never have set foot there if I had known,” and agreed on a fee of €20,000 to €25,000.
Execution of the heist
The duo gained access to a first-floor balcony via a furniture lift, broke through a window of the Apollo Gallery, and began cutting out windows of two display cases. “When we got in, there was no one there, it was dark, only the lights in the display cases were on,” Abdoulaye N said. “In the distance, I could see security moving around, behind a door, or something.” He said they were racing against the clock: “We had to take as much jewellery as we could. If we take more than three minutes, we know we have to leave, otherwise we’ll be reported. For me, what we did was taking too long.”
Fear of reprisals and investigation status
Both suspects said they did not know what became of the jewels but refused to identify the mastermind or accomplices out of fear. “They’re no choirboys,” Ghelamallah A said. Abdoulaye N added, “I wasn’t threatened, but I received calls from outside [while in detention]. They told me to keep quiet.” Le Monde reported that investigators have not confirmed whether the burglars were acting on anyone’s behalf.
