Inside the Louvre Heist: The Plot, the Players, the Purpose

On Sunday, October 19, Paris was struck by a crime no one saw coming, and in broad daylight.

The Louvre, the world’s most-visited museum, drawing nearly 8 million people a year, was abruptly shut down after thieves stormed in and stole jewels of “inestimable” value. The seven-minute operation ended with a motorbike getaway through the streets of Paris. The assailants remain at large.

But how (and why) was such a daring heist pulled off in one of the most secure museums on Earth?

Newsweek unpacks what we know so far about the brazen crime.

Seven Minutes

The Louvre is no stranger to theft. In 1911, it was the stage for one of history’s most infamous art heists, when Vincenzo Peruggia, a former employee, hid overnight disguised in a white smock. At dawn, he simply lifted the Mona Lisa f