A daring daylight jewellery heist at the Louvre Museum has inadvertently provided an unexpected boost for a German manufacturer, after images of their freight lift, used by the thieves, went viral.
Böcker Maschinenwerke GmbH, the German firm behind the equipment, is now experiencing a surge in attention following the audacious robbery.
Alexander Böcker, the managing director and third-generation owner, expressed initial dismay, telling The Associated Press that he and his wife were "shocked that our lift had been misused for this robbery."
He added in an email to the AP that "Once the initial shock had subsided, black humour took over," acknowledging the bizarre turn of events.
Authorities say 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 spiriting away on motorbikes through central Paris.
A new clip posted online shows two masked men, one wearing a high-vis jacket and the other a motorbike jacket, sliding down from the glass museum in slow-motion using the 90ft high basket lift mounted on a truck.
It didn't take long for the Germans to seize on the marketing opportunity. By Monday morning, Böcker’s company had come up with a social media post featuring a photo of the freight lift — which is typically used for furniture and construction — and a slogan in German that translates to “when something needs to be done quickly.”
The post also touts the ability of the “Böcker Agilo” to transport up to 400 kilograms (882 pounds) of “your treasures” at a speed of 42 meters (46 yards) per minute. And it moves “whisper quiet” thanks to its 230 Volt E-Motor, the post says.
“We had hoped for a bit of attention and some good humour, but the feedback was overwhelming,” Böcker wrote Thursday. “I can understand that not everyone shares this sense of humour, but the vast majority laughed heartily.”
But the freight lift is not permitted to transport humans, Böcker said.
Crown jewels, yes. Thieves, no.
