UPDATE: A woman’s eerie coincidence of watching a heist movie on a flight has captivated social media users following a shocking real-life jewel robbery at the Louvre Museum in Paris. Just hours after viewing Ocean’s 8 on her seven-hour flight, Katie Dungar stepped off the plane to discover that thieves had executed a daylight heist at one of the world’s most iconic museums.
The theft, which occurred on October 21, 2023, involved the swift removal of several priceless items from France’s Crown Jewels collection in just seven minutes. The brazen operation ended with a motorbike getaway, leaving the suspects at large.
Among the stolen treasures was a pearl and diamond tiara commissioned in 1853 by Napoleon III for Empress Eugénie. This exquisite tiara features over 200 pearls and nearly 2,000 diamonds, making it one of the empress’s most recognized possessions. The thieves also made off with a diamond bow brooch valued at $10.7 million, which the Louvre had acquired but was not insured.
In an official statement, France’s culture ministry confirmed that the state would not be reimbursed for the loss of items deemed to have “inestimable heritage and historical value.” Following the incident, the Louvre temporarily closed its doors but reopened to the public on October 24, with its director acknowledging the breach as “a terrible failure at the Louvre, which I take my share of responsibility in,” according to the Associated Press.
The unusual timing of Dungar’s in-flight viewing of a heist film sparked amusement on social media, with her post on Threads garnering over 32,000 views. “Getting off that plane and immediately receiving notifications about a jewel heist at the Louvre was kind of wacky,” she shared.
The coincidence resonated with others, prompting users to recount their own experiences of oddly timed media consumption. One user noted they watched a film about a papal election just before the Pope’s death, while another recalled reading a book about a heist at the Louvre just a day before the actual robbery occurred.
As the investigation continues and authorities work to track down the suspects, this incident serves as a reminder of the thin line between fiction and reality. The international art community is left to ponder the implications of this bold heist at a world-renowned institution.
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