Thieves Steal Priceless Crown Jewels in Daring Heist at the Louvre
A gang of thieves carried out a dramatic seven-minute raid on the Louvre Museum in Paris on Sunday morning, stealing “priceless” crown jewels and other royal treasures in what French officials have described as one of the most audacious robberies in the museum’s history.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed the theft during an interview with France Inter, revealing that the suspects gained access to the museum’s Apollo Gallery—home to the French Crown Jewels—by using an external freight elevator mounted on a truck.
The robbers, believed to be a team of four unarmed individuals, used angle grinders to break open a window and two high-security display cases before fleeing the scene on motorcycles. The entire operation lasted just seven minutes.
“They entered the Louvre from outside, using a freight elevator positioned on a truck. The jewelry stolen has sentimental and priceless historical value,” Nuñez said.
Priceless Heritage Lost
According to the French Ministry of Culture, the thieves made away with eight of nine targeted pieces, including a tiara and necklace worn by Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense, an emerald necklace and earrings belonging to Empress Marie-Louise, and several ornate brooches.
One item, the crown of Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III, was reportedly dropped and abandoned during the heist. The gold crown—set with 1,354 diamonds and 56 emeralds—was recovered by investigators but sustained damage.
“Beyond their market value, these items have inestimable heritage and historical worth,” the culture ministry said in a statement.
Meticulous Planning and Quick Escape
The Paris Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that the robbers threatened security guards with their tools but did not carry firearms. The suspects attempted to torch the truck used in the break-in, but a quick-thinking Louvre security officer intervened, forcing them to flee.
Police recovered angle grinders, a blowtorch, gloves, gasoline, walkie-talkies, and a yellow workman’s vest at the scene, suggesting the thieves disguised themselves as maintenance workers.
Video footage showed police examining the truck’s elevator, still positioned beside a shattered window of the Apollo Gallery.
Witnesses described scenes of confusion as alarms sounded and guards ordered tourists to evacuate. “We heard loud stomping near the window and then the staff suddenly shouted, ‘Get out, evacuate!’” said Ryan el Mandari, a tour guide present during the robbery.
National Outrage and Ongoing Investigation
President Emmanuel Macron condemned the theft as “an attack on a heritage we cherish because it is part of our history,” pledging that authorities would recover the stolen jewels and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Culture Minister Rachida Dati, who arrived at the scene shortly after the incident, said no injuries were reported and confirmed that the museum had been closed “for exceptional reasons” to preserve evidence.
Ariel Weil, mayor of Paris Center, said the robbery was “meticulously planned” and recalled that it was the first major theft at the Louvre since the infamous 1911 Mona Lisa heist.
Art crime expert Christopher Marinello, founder of Art Recovery International, warned that the stolen jewels could be irreparably damaged if the thieves try to sell or alter them. “If they melt down the gold or recut the stones, we’ll lose irreplaceable pieces of history forever,” he said.
French authorities have launched an investigation into “aggravated theft by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy to commit a felony.” Officials say all leads—including possible foreign involvement—remain open as the search for the perpetrators intensifies.
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