BERLIN — Forget France: The Louvre Museum jewelry heist was a classic case of German efficiency.
Photos of a German-made freight lift that the thieves used in a lightning-fast daylight heist at the Louvre have gone viral. Its manufacturer is now enjoying an unexpected boost in publicity.
Alexander Böcker, managing director and third-generation owner of Böcker Maschinenwerke GmbH, told The Associated Press that he and his wife were initially “shocked that our lift had been misused for this robbery.” However, once the initial shock subsided, “black humour took over,” he wrote in an email.
Authorities report that the thieves spent less than four minutes inside the Louvre on Sunday morning. They wheeled the freight lift up to the museum, rode the basket up the façade, forced open a window, smashed display cases, and grabbed priceless Napoleonic jewels before speeding away on motorbikes through central Paris.
The German company quickly seized the marketing opportunity. By Monday morning, Böcker’s company posted on social media a photo of the freight lift — primarily used for furniture and construction — along with a slogan in German that translates to: “When something needs to be done quickly.”
The post highlighted the “Böcker Agilo” lift’s ability to transport up to 400 kilograms (882 pounds) of “your treasures” at a speed of 42 meters (46 yards) per minute. It also noted that the lift moves “whisper quiet,” powered by a 230 Volt E-Motor.
“We had hoped for a bit of attention and some good humour, but the feedback was overwhelming,” Böcker wrote on Thursday. “I can understand that not everyone shares this sense of humour, but the vast majority laughed heartily.”
However, Böcker made one thing clear: the freight lift is not permitted to transport humans. Crown jewels, yes. Thieves, no.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/louvre-heist-2025-how-german-freight-lift-became-unexpected-social-media-star-paris-france-jewelry/18065795/
