The Louvre in Paris, France, is the largest art museum in the world. One of the most popular tourist attractions in all of Europe, it houses some of the most famous and expensive pieces of art that exist today, like the “Mona Lisa” and the “Venus de Milo.” The house of priceless treasures is protected by over a thousand security guards and CCTV cameras. On October 19th, the “foolproof” system was outsmarted, and four thieves stole the French crown jewels in broad daylight. The Internet has been positively booming after this heist. When it comes to Gen Z, however, they are not outraged like the rest of France; they are inspired.
How does a location as popular and affluent as The Louvre get robbed for some of its most valuable pieces? The plan was so ridiculous that it worked. At 9:30 AM, the thieves arrived at their destination, using a truck with an extendable ladder to get to the second-floor window. Their disguises consisted of fluorescent construction vests and black masks. At 9:34 AM, two of the thieves used power tools to cut through the window into the Apollo Gallery, mere rooms away from where the “Mona Lisa” resides. The robbers were then able to get into the museum, smashing through two display cases and stealing eight pieces of the crown jewels belonging to Emperor Napoleon. At 9:37 AM, the alarms were triggered, and the thieves fled back down the ladder and towards their escape. At 9:38 AM, they fled on motorbikes before security was able to catch them, only after dropping one of the most valuable pieces, a crown belonging to Empress Eugenie, encrusted with over a thousand diamonds. Suspects in the case were arrested on October 25, but despite their detainment, the Internet is still in a frenzy.
Why is Gen Z feeling hopeful about this heist? In our current digital world, full of bank account scams and Instagram hackers, this robbery is being described by TikTok as “a refreshing change of pace.” Something seemingly straight out of “Oceans 11” and “Now You See Me,” the Internet is enjoying the switch from our current run-of-the-mill online scams to something more “vintage.” As per usual, Gen Z cannot take this seriously. TikTok has been making a plethora of jokes about the movie-esque heist, stemming from sheer confusion about how a high-class establishment like the Louvre was robbed of its most valuable pieces in broad daylight. With Halloween around the corner, multiple Louvre Robber costumes have already begun to appear. This “Pink Panther” crime is taking the media and its consumers by storm.
Will you be tuning in to watch this case unfold? I know I’ll be waiting for the robbers to make their grand jailbreak.