Louvre Museum theft: stolen jewels added to INTERPOL’s Stolen Works of Art Database

On Sunday, 19 October 2025, thieves broke into the Louvre Museum in Paris and stole nine items of priceless jewellery.  It is reported that the thieves used basic tools to carry out the theft.

Although one of the stolen items was reportedly dropped by the thieves whilst escaping from the Louvre, the remaining pieces are still missing.  A major international operation has now been launched to try to recover them.

INTERPOL has joined the operation by adding the details of the stolen jewels to INTERPOL’s Stolen Works of Act Database.  In addition, INTERPOL has published a special alert poster informing its members of the theft.

In this article, we examine what INTERPOL’s Stolen Works of Art database is and whether it has been successfully used in the past to locate stolen items.

What is INTERPOL’s Stolen Works of Art Database?

INTERPOL’s Stolen Works of Art database contains descriptions of more than 57,000 cultural items stolen from around the world. It is reported to be the only database operating at the international level using certified police information on stolen and missing objects of art.

The database is continually updated when countries send INTERPOL information detailing stolen and missing items.

INTERPOL states that in accordance with its strict data processing rules, only information provided by authorised entities (including INTERPOL’s National Central Bureaus) can be added to the database.

Authorised users can access the database and check in real time whether an item has been registered as stolen or missing.

Have there been any successes using the Stolen Works of Art Database?

The short answer is yes.

In May 2023, INTERPOL announced that law enforcement agencies had arrested 60 individuals and recovered 11.049 stolen items as part of a major international art trafficking crackdown across 14 INTERPOL member countries.

At the time it was reported that “INTERPOL, through its I-24/7 secure communication system, connected countries in the Balkans and the European Union participating in the exchange of information, supporting the entire operation with a dedicated expert to double check searches against INTERPOL’s Stolen Works of Art Database in order to locate and identify items that had been stolen and items that were still missing. Officers on the ground also made use of ID-Art, INTERPOL’s mobile app.”

Other INTERPOL measures

Gherson have previously written a series of blogs detailing other INTERPOL measures (including a Blue and a Red Notice):

• What is INTERPOL’s Silver Notice?
• INTERPOL UPDATE – India charges 8 people in first Interpol Silver Notice Case
• What is an INTERPOL Yellow Notice?
• What is an INTERPOL-United Nations Security Council Special Notice?
• What is an INTERPOL Purple Notice?
• What is an INTERPOL Green Notice and can it be challenged?
• What is an INTERPOL Orange Notice and can it be challenged?
• What is the purpose of an INTERPOL Blue Notice, and can it be challenged?
• What is an INTERPOL Blue Notice?
• INTERPOL and Red Notice Challenges
• How to Remove an INTERPOL Red Notice
• INTERPOL Red Notices and Extradition
• How do I know if I am subject to an INTERPOL Red Notice?

Gherson has over 36 years of experience in assisting with all aspects of INTERPOL, Red Notice challenges and extradition. If you would like to speak to us in respect of any of the issues raised in this blog or about your specific circumstances,  do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an e-mail, or alternatively, follow us on X, Facebook, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.

Gherson can advise you in relation to all possible defences to an extradition request. We have unparalleled expertise in managing asylum and extradition requests in tandem. If you have any questions about a current or potential extradition case, please do not hesitate to contact us for advice, send us an e-mail, or alternatively, follow us on X, Facebook, or LinkedIn to stay-up-to-date.

©Gherson 2025