In a brazen daylight heist on Sunday, thieves struck Paris’s Louvre museum, making off with eight priceless pieces of jewellery from the Apollo Gallery, which houses the French crown jewels. The robbery, carried out in just seven minutes, forced the immediate closure of the world’s most-visited museum and sent shockwaves across France. Witnesses described the scene as “like a Hollywood movie,” as the robbers threatened guards with angle grinders and made a swift escape on scooters.
A statement from the French culture ministry confirmed that the stolen items included historically significant pieces, such as the emerald-and-diamond necklace given by Napoleon to Empress Marie Louise and the 19th-century crown of Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III. Another notable loss was a necklace from the sapphire collection of Queen Marie Amelie and Queen Hortense, along with a pair of emerald earrings that had belonged to Marie Louise. One of the crowns, heavily adorned with 1,354 diamonds and 56 emeralds, was recovered after being dropped by the thieves during their flight.
The robbery was executed with meticulous speed and precision. Sources close to the investigation said the thieves arrived between 9:30 and 9:40 am, shortly after the museum opened. Using a powered furniture hoist, commonly employed for moving large objects into buildings, the suspects reached the gilded Apollo Gallery. A witness named Samir reported seeing two men ascend the hoist, break a window, and enter the gallery, all within 30 seconds. Four perpetrators were seen fleeing the scene on scooters. The entire event occurred just 800 metres from Paris police headquarters, highlighting the audacity of the attack.
Paris’s chief prosecutor, Laure Beccuau, confirmed that a team of 60 investigators had been deployed to solve the case. Authorities described the perpetrators as highly organised, with detailed knowledge of museum layout and security protocols. President Emmanuel Macron reassured the public via social media that “everything is being done” to recover the treasures and bring the culprits to justice. Soldiers were deployed to patrol the Louvre’s iconic glass pyramid entrance while evacuated visitors and tourists were kept behind police tape to preserve evidence.
The theft has triggered political outrage, with opposition leaders condemning the incident as a national humiliation. Jordan Bardella of the far-right National Rally called it “an unbearable humiliation for our country,” while Laurent Wauquiez, leader of the Republicans in parliament, emphasised the need to protect France’s historical heritage. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez acknowledged the “great vulnerability” in museum security, noting that this robbery follows several high-profile thefts at other French institutions in recent months.
Historically, thefts from the Louvre have been rare, though notable cases exist. In 1911, the Mona Lisa was stolen by an Italian museum worker but was later recovered. In 1998, a painting by Camille Corot disappeared and has never been found. Macron, in January, had pledged a comprehensive redesign of the museum to address longstanding security concerns, including reinforcement measures that were reportedly still underway at the time of the heist.
The Louvre’s closure aims to preserve critical traces and clues for the ongoing investigation. Police and culture ministry officials continue to examine the scene, seeking leads on the identities and whereabouts of the four suspects. Meanwhile, the incident has drawn attention to the vulnerabilities in even the most secure cultural institutions, underlining the continuing challenge of protecting priceless heritage from increasingly sophisticated criminal operations.
