French investigators have enlisted an Israeli security firm led by a former Shin Bet chief to help unravel one of the most daring art thefts in recent memory — the jewel heist at the Louvre, according to the firm.

CGI Group, headed by Yaakov Peri, Israel’s former domestic intelligence director, says it was brought in to assist authorities amid growing signs the theft may have been orchestrated by a professional criminal network. The company previously helped solve the 2019 Dresden Green Vault burglary in Germany, which saw €113 million in jewels stolen.

The Louvre theft unfolded Sunday morning, when four masked men used a construction crane to smash into the museum’s Galerie d’Apollon, home to France’s royal jewels. Armed with angle grinders but no firearms, the robbers threatened guards, stole nine pieces — escaping with eight — and fled Paris on motorcycles.

Among the stolen items was a crown once owned by Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III. It was dropped during the thieves’ escape and later recovered. Investigators said the suspects bypassed the Regent diamond, worth more than $60 million, raising questions about their motives.

Officials found a reflective vest and evidence the robbers tried to torch the crane before fleeing. Culture Minister Rachida Dati acknowledged that the heist exposed “serious security gaps,” while President Emmanuel Macron condemned the robbery as “an attack on our shared heritage,” vowing the treasures would be recovered.

However, the Louvre denies it asked CGI Group to help solve the crime. “The Louvre management denies it,” it said in a statement to AFP.

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