The thieves who stole priceless jewelry from the Louvre are reviving recollections of an audacious gang that stole $500 million in valuables in a collection of daring heists that befell over practically twenty years.
The Pink Panthers focused jewellery shops and museums in Europe and Asia and carried out a few of the largest heists in historical past, raking in half a billion {dollars} price of stolen items between the early Nineties and mid-2010s.
There isn’t a proof that the theft on the Louvre is related to the Pink Panthers, however the brazen nature of the theft was much like these carried out by the gang.
Who’re the Pink Panthers?
The Pink Panthers are a community of loosely organized groups, Interpol secretary normal Ron Noble told “60 Minutes” in 2014. There are a whole bunch of gang members related to the group. Most have been from Japanese Europe, Noble stated, and lots of fought within the Serbian Particular Forces throughout the Bosnian Wars within the mid-Nineties. The gang has no organized chain of command, Noble stated, and makes use of consultants in fields like safecracking, carjacking and extra.
The Pink Panthers convey army self-discipline and knowledgeable planning to their thefts, Noble stated, usually doing weeks of surveillance and preparation earlier than hitting their goal. The assaults are carried out by small groups, sometimes in underneath a minute, and have well-planned getaways, Noble stated. As soon as on the run, the gang shortly crosses worldwide borders, usually utilizing faux passports.
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One audacious theft noticed the Pink Panthers drive automobiles right into a mall in Dubai earlier than smashing into a jewellery retailer, stealing handfuls of diamonds and driving out — all in 45 seconds. They’re liable for the most important artwork theft in Japanese historical past and the most important jewel heist in Britain. Within the latter incident, the thieves made off with $40 million of treasured stones, together with some hidden in a jar of chilly cream. In San-Tropez, France, they escaped by speedboat after stealing $3 million price of jewellery. In 2008, the Pink Panthers stole priceless work from an artwork museum in Zurich, Switzerland. The artworks have been price a mixed $163 million, making it the most important artwork theft in European historical past.
Legislation enforcement has been chasing the gang for years, Noble stated. Interpol has recognized 800 members of the Pink Panthers utilizing photographs, fingerprints and DNA, Noble stated. A number of gang members have been taken into custody, together with one arrest in 2024. A few of their stolen items — together with the work taken from Zurich — have been recovered. Nevertheless, diamonds and jewellery are tough to recuperate, for the reason that gems may be recut or become totally different items.
Theft on the Louvre
The thieves on the Louvre worked in broad daylight whereas vacationers have been already contained in the famed museum. The thieves entered the museum with a crane-like elevate, then smashed glass cases within the Apollon Gallery, dwelling of the French crown jewels. They fled the scene on bikes, a museum spokesperson stated.
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The museum was closed after the brazen heist, and no accidents have been reported. French officers stated the theft was carried out in simply 4 minutes, and referred to the thieves as “professionals.” Criminologist Alain Bauer told CBS News that the thieves left behind DNA, which could possibly be matched to info in legislation enforcement databases if the robbers are recognized to police. French police stated provides together with an influence noticed, gloves, a walkie-talkie and a can of gasoline have been additionally discovered. Bauer stated the proof will assist police with their investigation.
“We are going to catch them,” stated Bauer, who’s a professor of criminology at France’s Nationwide Conservatory of Arts and Crafts. “I do not assume we’ll seize the jewels.”
The thieves took nine pieces from the jewellery assortment of Napoleon III. One merchandise — the crown of Empress Eugénie, made from gold, emerald and diamonds — was discovered apparently dropped exterior the museum.
The opposite items stolen embrace a pearl and diamond tiara with over 200 pearls and practically 2,000 diamonds, a gold corsage bow-shaped brooch with hundreds of stones, a set of sapphire jewellery that will have as soon as belonged to Marie Antoinette, an emerald necklace and pair of earrings that Napoleon gave his second spouse as a marriage reward, and a diamond-encrusted brooch.
The jewels have been of “inestimable worth,” in keeping with France’s inside minister and the museum. Regardless of their worth, the jewels have been apparently not in reinforced cases, artwork historian and former Louvre employee David Chanteranne advised CBS Information correspondent Elizabeth Palmer. For functions of “historic accuracy,” the jewels have been offered of their unique instances.
STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/AFP through Getty Pictures 
Latest thefts throughout Europe
There have been different notable heists at European museums in recent times. Thieves in Germany smashed into Dresden’s Inexperienced Vault museum in a single day in 2019 and stole over $120 million price of jewels. The robbers said in court that they used an axe to smash the instances and a hearth extinguisher to cover their DNA. A few of the items they stole have been recovered, however have been broken. Others have by no means been discovered.
Hundreds of things have been found to have been stolen from the British Museum in 2023. The small items weren’t on show and have been largely used for analysis functions. An worker was fired and the museum stated they have been searching for authorized motion in opposition to them. A few of the objects have been recovered.
In 2022, a gaggle of males broke into Germany’s Celtic and Roman Museum, in a heist that befell in just nine minutes. Cables have been reduce at a close-by telecommunications hub, leaving the world with out communications networks. The thieves pried open the museum’s door, then smashed right into a show case to take a whole bunch of gold cash that dated again to 100 B.C. They left the museum with out triggering any alarms.
Lennart Preiss/image alliance through Getty Pictures 
The lads have been arrested a number of months later. Three members were convicted and handed jail sentences that ranged as much as 11 years, whereas a fourth was acquitted of involvement within the theft however convicted on different fees. The treasure continues to be lacking and appeared to have been not less than partially melted down.
In 2020, a Van Gogh portray was stolen from a Dutch museum that was closed to stop the unfold of coronavirus. The portray was recovered in 2023, according to the Smithsonian.
