Louvre heist sends internet conspiracy theorists into overdrive as sleuths insist museum burglary was FAKED in viral new theory

Conspiracy theorists claim daring £76million Louvre robbery could be fake; There is also increasing speculation that the world’s most famous museum was never actually robbed.

Last Friday, a gang disguised as construction workers broke into the Galerie d’Apollon in the Louvre and made off with eight pieces of the French crown jewels in less than eight minutes.

The thieves used a crane to gain access to the side window before smashing the reinforced glass cases and disappearing into the streets of Paris.

Tourists were ushered out as alarms echoed through the marble halls in what authorities described as one of the most daring art thefts in recent memory. The daylight raid stunned museum staff and triggered an international investigation.

But now the viral theory sweeping Reddit, TikTok, and

The theory exploded when Lionsgate’s official TikTok account posted a cryptic video days after the intrusion; fans insisted the video contained hidden references to Paris and stage magic.

Another viral clip uploaded by user @phooxo combines footage of the alleged robbery with scenes from earlier Now You See Me films, highlighting nearly identical camera angles and the thieves’ precise timing.

The clips have been viewed millions of times, fueling speculation that the theft was an elaborate film marketing ploy.

The video shows two thieves descending a grand staircase in a mechanical delivery cart parked next to the famous museum in central Paris.

User One

Others online noted the uncanny cinematic quality of the operation – the perfectly timed lift, the clean escape, even the choice of target – and said the whole thing felt ‘more Hollywood than heist’.

Some claim that posters showing illusionistic imagery appeared near the Louvre in the days before the raid, while archived social media posts from Lionsgate hinting at a ‘big reveal in Paris’ are being re-examined as possible clues.

However, the studio has since weighed in on the matter, denying any involvement.

In a follow-up article to TikTok published on its official account, Lionsgate wrote: ‘We love the theory, but the Louvre robbery is not one of ours.’

The brief statement did little to calm speculation; many online reviewers dismissed it as part of a marketing tactic.

But not everyone believes Hollywood is to blame.

A rival theory suggests that the jewels were stolen to order for a wealthy private collector, and that the precision of the operation reflected professional planning rather than performance.

French prosecutors acknowledged they were investigating whether a crime had been committed but refused to rule out the possibility of ‘insider help’.

Others further afield attributed the incident to long-standing conspiracies surrounding the Louvre; This number has been linked to occult symbolism, including the debunked claim that the museum’s glass pyramid was built with 666 panes.

Amateur researchers have flooded comment sections on TikTok and Reddit with theories ranging from secret societies to government cover-ups, each claiming to have solved the mystery.

Some even suggested that the theft was staged to conceal damage to the jewels or to divert attention from deeper scandals in France’s cultural institutions.

One person even suggested that the robbery was a ‘Russian conspiracy to send a message to Macron’.

But for now, the Louvre insists the robbery is real and police say they are following “credible international leads”.

Online sleuths claim daring £76 million Louvre heist may have been faked; There is also growing speculation that the world’s most famous museum was never actually robbed

Investigators are conducting a DNA search at the scene

Investigators appear to be collecting evidence left behind by the thieves, including grinders used to break into the museum

The footage shows the brazen thieves fleeing down the stairs before escaping on scooters.

The video shows two thieves descending a grand staircase in a mechanical delivery cart parked next to the famous museum in central Paris.

One was wearing a high-vis jacket, while the other appeared to be wearing an all-black suit.

At least one other person was seen under the stairs. While the security guards express intense disappointment, the men are not threatened by anyone.

“These people are on scooters, they’re about to leave,” someone says, while police sirens can be heard in the background.

‘Big explosion! Try the police. They’re gone!’ In addition to the sentences, swearing can also be heard.

As the investigation into the grand theft continues, some details about their escape are beginning to emerge.

At 9.30 am on October 19, four thieves targeted the under-construction section of the 232-year-old museum.

Once the getaway drivers boarded their scooters, the men began their seven-minute raid; They leaned their ladders against the wall of the museum, quickly climbed to the top, and used an angle grinder to drill through the window.

They also managed to escape the camera that was watching the room and looking in completely the wrong direction.

After threatening unarmed guards and visitors inside, they broke into two display cabinets and looted nine valuables estimated to be worth £76 million.

The two thieves then escaped through the same window, went down the stairs and then jumped onto the back of their accomplices’ scooters below.

This statement came after the museum director admitted that security cameras did not cover the window through which thieves broke in and stole uninsured jewellery.

Speaking for the first time since last Sunday’s robbery at the world’s most popular art museum, Laurence des Cars, 59, tendered his resignation over the disgraceful failure to allow four masked raiders into Paris landmarks.

He said: ‘The only camera installed was directed west and therefore did not cover the balcony where the break-in occurred. There are some perimeter cameras, but they are getting old.

‘Despite our efforts, despite our hard work every day, we were defeated. ‘We couldn’t detect the thieves’ arrival early enough.’

Ms. Des Cars was questioned by senators on Wednesday, who specifically wanted to know how a flatbed truck with an extendable ladder could park the wrong way on the sidewalk just outside the Louvre.

It made a U-turn on a three-lane one-way street along the River Seine and was used by the crew to get to the first floor of the museum.

They spent just seven minutes carrying out the raid; This included breaking two cabinets containing eight pieces of Napoleonic jewelery described as ‘the crown jewels of France’.

Ms Des Cars explained that the parts were not insured due to high premium costs.

Ms Des Cars said the thieves had set up barriers on the pavement and were wearing yellow and orange jackets and balaclavas during the 9.20am robbery.

‘As soon as we broke a window and entered the museum, alarm systems were activated and security protocol was followed,’ he said.

Hearing the warnings on the radio system, private security guards ran to the minibus and managed to prevent the thieves from setting the minibus on fire before escaping.

This helped recover valuable evidence, including the gloves and helmet, as well as the vehicle itself, but the men disappeared on two Yamaha motorcycles.

Ms. De Cars said she submitted her resignation to Culture Minister Rachida Dati but was rejected.

He said that ‘security plans’ included ‘camera monitoring of all facades’ and ‘installation of fixed thermal cameras’, but these plans were not implemented on time.

This was because they required extensive work on the electricity supply, including 40 miles of new cables.

Ms Des Cars said she had repeatedly warned that the security of the century-old building was in a very poor state and said: ‘The warnings I made last Sunday have been horrifyingly confirmed.’

He promised to impose a parking ban around the Louvre, improve the CCTV network and demand that the Ministry of Internal Affairs set up a police station inside the museum.

Today it was revealed that a second French museum was raided just hours after the robbery.

Nearly 2,000 gold and silver coins, some dating back 235 years, were stolen from the Maison des Lumières museum in Langres.

Staff discovered the theft Tuesday morning when they arrived at work and found a smashed display case.

Further investigation showed that the theft actually took place on Sunday, the same day as the robbery at the Louvre.