The Daily (The New York Times) — "Le Heist"

Date: October 22, 2025
Host: Natalie Kitroeff
Guest: Catherine Porter

Episode Overview

This episode of The Daily dives into the audacious daytime jewel heist at the Louvre Museum in Paris, where a group of thieves stole several priceless French crown jewels in a meticulously planned operation. Host Natalie Kitroeff speaks with reporter Catherine Porter to unravel how the theft unfolded, what was taken, and the broader cultural shock reverberating across France. The episode paints a vivid picture of the heist, the jewels’ historical significance, and the country’s emotional reaction to the loss.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. How the Heist Unfolded

• The Setup (03:56–06:10):

  • At 9:30 AM on a quiet Sunday, a truck with a furniture ladder (a common Parisian sight) and two motorcycles arrive at the Louvre.
  • Two men in fluorescent vests place traffic cones to appear as public workers, drawing no suspicion.
  • Both men, masked, ascend via the electric ladder (“bucket”) to a second-floor balcony, a less-trafficked museum area.
  • Quote: “Nothing necessarily to see, except for the two men that then went up this electric ladder… masked. So that might have tipped you off.” — Catherine Porter (04:57)

• Breaking In:

  • They use angle grinders (handheld electric saws) to cut through a window into the iconic Apollo Gallery, home to the royal jewels of France.
  • Security guards, following protocol, immediately evacuate visitors, prioritizing safety over confronting the armed intruders.
  • Quote: “The protocol in the Louvre… is if you are confronted with an intruder that has things that seem like they could be weapons, your priority is protect people.” — Catherine Porter (07:04)

• The Heist Execution (08:09–09:35):

  • The thieves are calm, targeted, and execute their plan within minutes. They break open display cases with power saws, not appearing frantic or rushed.
  • CCTV captures their unhurried demeanor.

2. Escape and Loot

• Getaway Sequence (09:58–10:59):

  • The thieves exit via the same route and attempt, unsuccessfully, to set fire to the bucket truck to hide evidence.
  • Security guards chase them on foot; the thieves drop a high-value imperial crown, a vest, and a gas bottle before fleeing on motorcycles.
  • Quote: “One, you know, very juicy detail is that they dropped one of the nine things they originally grabbed.” — Catherine Porter (10:59)

• What Was Stolen? (11:17–14:50):

  • 8 of 9 intended jewels make it out with the thieves, including:
    • Emerald necklace and earrings given by Napoleon to his second wife (12:19)
    • Decorative bow with over 2,000 diamonds (12:20)
    • Pearl tiara and other opulent items
  • The thieves avoided the most famous and easily recognizable jewel, “the Regent” diamond, likely to avoid detection when selling.
  • Quote: “It would be just far too easy to identify and really hard to pawn off… so this is more of a commodity grab.” — Catherine Porter (13:36)

3. Value, Intent, and Investigator Theories

• Stolen jewels estimated at €88 million in value, but would be worth much less if broken down and melted.

  • Quote: “[The lead investigator] said, look, if you were to break them apart and melt them down, they’d be worth a lot less. In some ways, almost beseeching to the thieves, like, please don’t do this.” — Catherine Porter (15:22)

• The operation suggests professional criminals, likely a gang specializing in art/jewelry theft, aiming to sell components rather than whole pieces.

• Experts speculate that parts could be recut, “strung into a different kind of necklace,” and sold as untraceable gems, making recovery near impossible.

4. French Public Reaction and Cultural Impact

• Shock and Grief:
  • A mixture of disbelief, outrage at the breach of security, and national mourning for the loss of “priceless” heritage.
  • French politicians and media see the incident as a major failure, especially given the Louvre’s global reputation for security.
  • Quote: “The reaction… sounds like it’s one of a sense of self questioning… how could this possibly occur?” — Natalie Kitroeff (19:40)
  • Quote: “French people… they’re people who like to strike, they like to complain. They’re pretty critical, but they love their history. … This is like a very important cultural place in French people’s hearts.” — Catherine Porter (20:09)
• Historical Context:
  • France owns surprisingly few royal jewels, having auctioned off most after the Revolution—the Louvre has tried to buy lost pieces back for decades.
  • Quote: “The Louvre has been spending decades now trying to get them back.” — Catherine Porter (21:44)

5. Rise in Cultural Thefts

• String of museum break-ins in France this year, including thefts at the Natural History Museum and museums in Limoges; these often involve similar tools and tactics (22:05–23:01).
• No clear evidence that this is a coordinated effort, but a notable pattern has emerged. This particular heist is unique in its boldness and broad daylight timing.
• Cultural phenomenon compared to the TV series “Lupin,” yet even more brazen since it unfolded while the museum was open (23:35).

6. Investigation & Search for Suspects

• Now over 100 investigators are assigned, employing DNA, fingerprinting, and surveillance footage.
• The failed burning of the truck left evidence; police are interrogating the owner from whom it was stolen.
• The race is on to recover the jewels before they are dispersed irretrievably (25:01–25:48).

7. Possibility of Recovery

• Some optimism: France has a record of recovering stolen items, as in the Natural History Museum case. One suspect was already captured in Barcelona.
• However, the likelihood of recovering the jewels intact diminishes rapidly if the pieces are dismantled and sold as separate gems.
• Quote: “If they take each of those thousand plus diamonds off and make something entirely different out of it… then who would notice?” — Catherine Porter (26:18)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “You could not make it up. It’s like a scene from a film.”
  – Natalie Kitroeff (02:25)
• “The heist of the decade. You know, it’s as bad as it gets.”
  – Catherine Porter (02:41)
• “If you were to break them apart and melt them down, they’d be worth a lot less. In some ways, almost beseeching to the thieves, like, please don’t do this.”
  – Catherine Porter (15:22)
• “This is like a very important cultural place in French people’s hearts. And I think people are appalled, shocked, and really grieving to a degree.”
  – Catherine Porter (20:09)
• “Yeah, I mean, I think it’s possible that we will never see those jewels again.”
  – Catherine Porter (26:01)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:56–06:10 — Step-by-step breakdown of the heist entry and method
• 08:09–09:35 — The theft: how the thieves acted and what was captured on video
• 09:58–10:59 — Escape, items dropped, and “juicy detail” about the imperial crown
• 11:17–14:50 — Discussion of specific stolen items and motives
• 15:05–15:44 — The value of the loot and the plea from investigators
• 18:31–20:09 — Public, official, and emotional French reaction
• 21:01–21:44 — The revolutionary history and France's lost jewels
• 22:05–23:57 — Overview of similar thefts and the “Lupin” comparison
• 25:01–25:48 — The state of the investigation and efforts to recover the jewels
• 26:01–27:28 — Will the thieves get away with it? The prospects for recovery

Overall Tone

The episode presents a mix of awe, disbelief, cultural lament, and gritty journalistic investigation. Both host and guest maintain a conversational, deeply engaged approach, blending historical context, immediate fact-finding, and the human impact of the heist. The tone is at once urgent and reflective, capturing the shock of both Parisians and international observers at a crime that feels out of a movie but has profound real-world loss.