EXCLUSIVE: Theory Erupts Kim Kardashian's Heist Gang Trained Louvre Thieves After 'Priceless' Jewels Raid

The thieves fled by scooter, leaving only shards of glass and a fallen diadem in their wake. Police say the entire operation was "military in precision," echoing the tactics used by the so-called "Grandpa Gang" that targeted Kardashian nine years ago.

A senior Paris police investigator said: "We're seeing methods that mirror the Kardashian robbery – timing, disguise, and use of lightweight vehicles for escape. The intelligence and structure suggest cross-training or a shared network."

The source added both operations bore "the hallmarks of old-school French crime families who evolved from jewel thefts to museum jobs."

Kardashian was bound and gagged at gunpoint in her Paris hotel suite in October 2016 by five men disguised as police officers. They escaped with jewelry worth more than $10million, including a 20-carat diamond ring.

French investigators later arrested a group of elderly suspects, some in their 60s and 70s, who allegedly bragged they had targeted her after seeing her posts on social media.

The theory linking the heist to the Louvre gang has gained traction after officers discovered surveillance footage showing one of the Louvre raiders wearing a distinctive reflective jacket – similar to those worn by the "Grandpa Gang." Forensic specialists are examining fingerprints and DNA samples found on a piece of broken glass recovered near the scene.

"It's clear that we're dealing with Arsène Lupin," said Ariel Weil, the Socialist mayor of central Paris, referencing the fictional gentleman thief who has long embodied France's fascination with elegant crime.

He added: "But this time, Lupin has gone corporate. These thieves aren't romantic – they're part of a professional, global network."

Security analysts say France has become the world's epicenter for museum thefts. According to Le Journal des Arts, nearly half of all major art raids since 2009 have taken place within the country. In recent months, gold, porcelain, and religious artifacts worth millions have vanished from museums in Limoges and eastern France, with several robberies carried out in broad daylight.

A source claimed: "Organized crime gangs are treating France's national heritage as a marketplace, taking orders from billionaire collectors to steal priceless artefacts so they can stash them in air-conditioned underground bunkers so only they can admire them."

The insider said the public's long-held affection for so-called gentleman thieves was waning. They added, "People once admired figures like Vjeran Tomic, the 'French Spiderman,' who seemed to steal for the thrill or the art itself. Now it feels colder – these jobs are about money, not mystique."

French President Emmanuel Macron is said to have demanded daily updates on the investigation. A government insider said, "The Louvre's jewels are not just treasures – they're symbols of France itself. Losing them, even briefly, is a national humiliation."

In the meantime, cops are pursuing leads the Louvre thieves were "mentored" by members of the Kardashian gang or by others who learned from them while imprisoned.

One investigator said: "The line between a hotel robbery and an art heist isn't as wide as people think. In Paris, it's often the same thieves – just with better taste."