First, came the Louvre heist. Then came the memes

First, came the Louvre heist. Then came the memes

Rebecca Rosman

October 25, 2025 / 11:07 am

PARIS — It was the heist heard around the world. So naturally, it was only a matter of hours before it transitioned into memes seen around the internet.

Four masked thieves. Nine "priceless" pieces. All stolen in less than seven minutes , from the world's most famous museum. The Oct. 19 daylight robbery at the Louvre has already been compared to a Dan Brown novel or the latest installment in Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's film franchise.

Now it's something else entirely — internet culture's newest obsession. From brands to influencers to actors with projects to promote (here's looking at you, George Clooney), the Louvre heist has become the latest template for going viral.

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