On Oct. 19, four thieves robbed $88 million worth of jewelry from the Louvre, the most visited museum in Paris. After the thieves performed the daring robbery in just seven minutes, the story instantly gained global news coverage. Within hours of the theft, memes of the robbery spread on social media and the internet began to take on a glorifying stance by recognizing the thieves as daring and bold stars. But the fascination and intrigue not only stems from the fame of the Louvre and the heist’s boldness, but also from the media’s deeper heroization of heist stories and its function as a release valve from more devastating political events.
A prominent explanation for the popularity of the heist is the fame of the Louvre and its renowned artworks. The Louvre is recognized for housing famous and expensive works of art, such as the Mona Lisa, and even its unique architecture has also gained fame. As a result of the Louvre’s reputation, the mere idea of such a well-known and well-received museum being robbed drew considerable interest. Additionally, the eight valuable items taken were also deeply rooted in French history, linked to figures such as Napoleon I, Empress Eugénie and Queen Marie-Amélie, further drawing attention.
Moreover, the unique way the robbery was executed was excessively bold. At 9:30 a.m., the thieves, disguised as construction workers, used a furniture lift to reach the first-floor balcony. From there, they cut through glass cases with disc cutters, threatened the security guards with power tools and then escaped on scooters. The flashiness of executing a robbery in broad daylight contradicted the typical discreet and quiet nature of a theft. In addition to the unique nature of the robbery, the Louvre’s security system gained criticism. ABC News reported that the password for the Louvre’s surveillance system was simply “Louvre,” and the president and director of the Louvre stated in a testimony that there was only one camera installed outside the Apollo Gallery, which did not cover the window where the thieves entered and exited. Through the absurdity of the scene and level of security in place to protect such valuable artifacts, the Louvre robbery appears unbelievable.
The underlying reason the robbery gained so much attention may have been the general glorification of heists in movies and other media. John DeVore of MSNBC explains that love for Hollywood heist movies led to a sense of rooting for the robbers. DeVore cites movies like Christopher Nolan’s “Inception,” which is about stealing secrets by entering dreams, and “Avengers: Endgame,” the second-highest–grossing film of all time, which is a time-travel heist movie. The connotation of thrill and fun to heists drew attention away from the criminality of the robbery. Moreover, writer Sloane Crosley argues that the glorification of the heist was not only due to a cultural tendency to view heists as less serious crimes, especially when compared to other, more violent political events. She summarizes, “Say what you will about the thieves, but they are not destabilising the global economy or dismantling women’s health care. These masked perpetrators rode off with jewelry, not with people.” While the act of robbing one of the most popular museums is worthy of attention, it is more so fascinating due to the ridicule and glorification from the media.
