The Louvre heist that happened on October 19, 2025, is creating headlines due to a viral photo on social media. The snap features a man in a suit and a fedora standing near a few police officers. Netizens initially believed that he could be some detective hired to investigate.
Thibault Camus had originally captured it for the Associated Press. However, the outlet did not disclose the identity. They simply wrote that the entry to the museum was blocked by the cops. The picture shows the three officers appearing in front of a squad car.
On the other hand, AP got in touch with the Paris authorities via email about the man. But the response stated that they would like to “keep the mystery alive.”
Meanwhile, the photographer has now dismissed the social media theories. He has clarified that the man is not working with the authorities, saying that he was someone among the general public. Thibault mentioned that the person was walking through the Louvre at that moment.
“He appeared in front of me. I saw him, I took the photo. He passed by and left”, Camus said.
During his conversation with The New York Times, Thibault also confirmed that he does not know the man in the picture. He elaborated on the same, as he stated:
“I don’t know if he is French. Maybe a tourist? Maybe he is English.”
Multiple crown jewels were stolen during the heist by four suspects who reportedly entered the museum with a crane. The entire group escaped on motorbikes, as per Reuters. Moreover, no one has been taken into custody so far.
Justice Minister Gerard Darmanin also reacted to the Louvre heist, saying that they have “failed” since a crane truck was standing openly in the street of Paris, due to which anyone could go up in a few minutes.
Meanwhile, some of the priceless jewels are being shifted from the Louvre’s Apollo gallery to the Bank of France. Reuters stated that the operation was reportedly done under police protection on October 24, 2025. However, the authorities or the museum have not commented on the same so far.
According to BBC News, the jewels will be put inside a secure vault called Souterraine at the bank, located 85 ft below the ground. The vault has a door that is 50 cm thick, and it has been made with flame-resistant concrete, alongside being reinforced with steel. Moreover, there is a rotating concrete turret that restricts any form of forced entry.
The Louvre heist happened during the morning hours, when two thieves allegedly entered the place, using certain tools to break through the window. An investigation has already started with a large group of 60 people, and prosecutors believe that the robbery was ordered by some criminal organization. Further updates on the investigation are currently awaited.
TOPICS: Louvre, Gerard Darmanin, Bank of France, Thibault Camus