In Paris, France on Oct. 19, a group of thieves broke into the Louvre, one of the most visited museums in the world, and stole eight pieces of French royal jewelry. At 9:30 a.m. local time, four suspects used a vehicle-mounted mechanical to access a balcony near the River Seine. Using power tools to get through the windows, they entered the Galerie D’Apollon (Gallery of Apollo) and threatened the guards who proceeded to evacuate the building. They then cut through two glass display cases containing the jewels. According to French media, one of the three rooms that were raided in the museum had no CCTV cameras. French police recorded that the thieves were inside the Louvre for four minutes and made their escape at 9:38 a.m. on two scooters.

All over the world, responses to this news have ranged from shocked and appalled to entertained and intrigued. In fact, the majority of people’s reactions to the Louvre heist on social media have been delighted by this theft. On platforms like TikTok and Instagram, trends have risen where people guess who might’ve been behind the crime; only all the possible “suspects” are fictional. Popular contestants for this spot have been Carmen Sandiego, the Oceans 8 team and even the Madagascar penguins. 

Overall, it seems like this event, while a tragedy for the Louvre, has incited an overall positive response from the general public. It is the type of action that feels like it could only happen in a movie or book, and offers a fun break from other, decidedly less exciting news around the world. People seem to love the concept of a “victimless crime” in this day and age — a true breath of fresh air.