【Paris, Franc】Louvre Heist: Can the Stolen Jewels Be Resold in Antwerp, the Diamond Capital?

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Editor’s Note

This investigation follows the trail of stolen Louvre jewels to the diamond markets of Antwerp, probing a central dilemma for art thieves: can priceless, identifiable artifacts be liquidated, or do they become impossible to sell?

À moins de six semaines des municipales, la sécurité s’invite au Sénat. Un projet de loi vise à élargir les pouvoirs des policiers municipaux. (France 2)
The Heist and the Central Question

The robbers of the Louvre stole jewelry valued at 88 million euros. But a question arises: can they be resold if they are dismantled, recut, or melted down? To find out, teams from France Télévisions went to Antwerp, Belgium, the diamond capital.

The Diamond District’s Perspective

Could the Louvre jewels pass through Antwerp (Belgium), the diamond capital? The diamond district is recognizable by the wheeled suitcases. Over 20 billion euros in turnover each year. Only three ultra-secure streets, no storefronts.
In these offices, Sachin Shoksky believes this theft is intended for a collector. Because selling a single jewel piece by piece would cause it to lose 80% of its value:

Les braqueurs du Louvre ont volé des bijoux évalués à 88 millions d'euros. Mais une question se pose : peuvent-ils être revendus s'ils sont dépecés, retaillés ou fondus ? Pour le savoir, les équipes de France Télévisions se sont rendues à Anvers, en Belgique, capitale du diamant.
“Dismantling it, breaking it, melting it down… For me, it’s impossible. It makes no sense. It’s like dismantling an old Jaguar. The separate parts are nothing. Together, that’s really for a collector. It’s unique,” assures Shashin Choksi, diamond dealer (Swati Gems).

And these diamond dealers could recognize a diamond from the Louvre at first glance.

“This is an example of an old cut. And this is like the Louvre jewel. It was made by hand and not automated. If a Louvre jewel arrives here, we report it directly to the police,” says Siddarth Choksi, diamond dealer (Swati Gems).
The Jewelry District: A Different World

Yet, a few streets away, the jewelry district has nothing to do with the diamond dealers. This is where the Louvre thieves could offload their goods, even at a knockdown price.

La paire canadienne Curlers Brett Gallant et Jocelyn Peterman lors du tour préliminaire du tournoi de double mixte de curling, à Cortina (Italie), le 4 février 2026. (SIPA)
“Some of these businesses have a very bad reputation. They might be tempted to take the risk of accepting these jewels and reselling them on the black market,” explains Ine Tessignon, spokesperson for the Antwerp World Diamond Centre.
The Kim Kardashian Case

And this is precisely what happened with the jewels stolen from star Kim Kardashian in 2016. The robbers were found in Antwerp. Loot value: 9 million euros, probably melted down, recut, and resold.

Official Channels and Compliance

But in the official circuit, it is impossible to modify a diamond without its origin being certified:

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“You can go to prison. The compliance rules are made to protect the diamond world from the mafia,” reminds Dany Meylemans, diamond dealer.

The diamond dealers of Antwerp swear that the Louvre jewels cannot land in their hands, unless they have been resold piecemeal at a bargain price.

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⏰ Published on: October 25, 2025