The Louvre Museum robbed: nine Napoleonic-era jewels stolen in a seven-minute heist
The Louvre Museum in Paris was closed to the public on Sunday “for exceptional reasons” following a robbery in which nine items of great historical value were stolen, according to French authorities. No injuries were reported, according to Xinhua News Agency.
Preliminary findings from the French police and sources inside the Louvre indicate that early in the morning, several masked intruders broke into the museum through a construction area on the Seine River side. They used a service elevator to reach the Apollo Gallery, smashed the display glass, and stole several artifacts. Sources said the suspects made off with nine jewels dating from the Napoleonic era before fleeing, according to CCTV News.
Among the stolen pieces were a sapphire necklace once owned by Queen Marie Amélie and Queen Hortense, and a tiara belonging to Empress Eugénie. During their escape, the gang abandoned one of the nine stolen items, which was later found damaged near the museum.
The Louvre said that the suspects attempted to set fire to the mechanical equipment—believed to be the elevator system — used in the break-in, but were stopped by a museum employee. The assailants immediately fled the scene, according to media reports.
French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on X (formerly Twitter): “The theft committed at the Louvre is an attack on a heritage that we cherish because it is part of our history.”
“We will recover the works, and the perpetrators will be brought to justice. Everything is being done, everywhere, to achieve this, under the leadership of the Paris prosecutor’s office.”
He added that “the Louvre New Renaissance project, launched in January, includes reinforced security measures. It will ensure the preservation and protection of what constitutes our memory and our culture.”
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, who visited the scene, described the stolen artifacts as being of “inestimable” heritage value. The Louvre and the Ministry of Culture are working to compile a detailed list of the stolen items and assess their value. Nunez said he was “hopeful” that the perpetrators, who fled on a scooter, would be apprehended “very quickly,” according to Xinhua.
French Culture Minister Rachida Dati expressed her gratitude to the Louvre staff for their swift response and professionalism. She noted that under President Macron’s “Louvre New Renaissance” initiative announced earlier this year, the museum is deploying a new security system that includes next-generation surveillance cameras, a perimeter intrusion detection network, and a new central security command center, according to CCTV News.
The Louvre Museum is a landmark in Paris, welcoming millions of visitors every year. The last recorded theft at the Louvre occurred in 1998, when a painting was stolen in broad daylight and has not been recovered, according to Xinhua.
