German Freight Lift Gains Viral Fame After Playing Key Role in Daring Louvre Heist

Alexander Böcker, who serves as the managing director and represents the third generation of ownership at Böcker Maschinenwerke GmbH, expressed his dismay to The Associated Press upon discovering that their lift had been improperly utilized in a robbery. He and his wife were “shocked” by the misuse of their equipment, as revealed by images circulating online.

After the initial disbelief faded, Böcker admitted that a sense of dark humor emerged, as he conveyed in an email to the AP.

The robbers had maneuvered the freight lift to the museum, ascended the building’s exterior using the basket, pried open a window, shattered display cases, and made off with invaluable Napoleonic jewels, fleeing on motorbikes through the heart of Paris.

Seizing the situation as a promotional opportunity, the German company quickly reacted. By Monday morning, Böcker’s firm had crafted a social media post showcasing a photo of the lift—typically employed for moving furniture and for construction purposes—accompanied by a German slogan translating to “when something needs to be done quickly.”

The post highlights the “Böcker Agilo” lift’s capacity to transport up to 400 kilograms of “your treasures” at a brisk pace of 42 meters per minute, emphasizing its “whisper quiet” operation made possible 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.”

But the freight lift is not permitted to transport humans, Böcker said.

Crown jewels, yes. Thieves, no.