Four Thieves Use Böcker Lift in Louvre Heist

On Oct. 19, 2025, four masked thieves used a Böcker AgiLo lift to reach a second-floor balcony at the Louvre, cut into the Galerie d’Apollon with angle grinders, and escaped on scooters with eight historic jewels valued at about €88 million (roughly $100–102 million) in a daylight raid that lasted around seven to eight minutes. French authorities launched a nationwide manhunt and a major investigation as scrutiny of Louvre security intensified; officials acknowledged surveillance gaps and an offered resignation was not accepted. Böcker Maschinenwerke said the specific machine had been sold to a French rental firm and was reportedly stolen during a demonstration, stressed the lift is not approved for carrying people and that the company had no involvement in the crime. The manufacturer licensed the now‑iconic image and ran cheeky, specs‑focused ads that went viral and drew mostly positive reactions as well as some criticism, and other brands such as IKEA ran tongue‑in‑cheek posts in response.