Daring Daylight Heist: Thieves Steal Priceless Jewels from the Louvre
Thieves executed an incredibly audacious daylight robbery at Paris’ world-famous Louvre Museum on Sunday, using construction equipment and specialized tools to breach security and steal priceless jewels of historical significance.
The French government confirmed that three or four masked assailants utilized a basket lift positioned on a truck to smash an upstairs window, consequently escaping on high-powered motorbikes with their valuable, historical loot. This brazen operation is certain to generate uncomfortable questions about the security protocols at this premier cultural site, which hosted a staggering 8.7 million visitors in 2024.
The Seven-Minute Heist
The professional thieves initiated their strike at approximately 9:30 a.m. (0730 GMT) on Sunday morning, shortly after the museum had opened its doors to the general public, entering the celebrated Galerie d’Apollon building, the Interior Ministry stated in an official declaration. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez revealed that the intruders entered from outside the building, employing a large basket lift, often called a cherry picker, which was reportedly part of ongoing construction work along the Seine-facing facade.
Furthermore, Minister Nunez told France Inter that the entire complex operation only lasted an astonishing seven minutes, confirming the thieves used a specialized disc cutter to slice through the heavy window panes. Investigators believe two suspects operated inside the gallery itself while at least one other individual remained outside, coordinating the highly precise and rapid escape.
Culture Minister Rachida Dati told TF1 that professional criminals executed the robbery, providing specific details about their efficient methods: “We saw some footage: they don’t target people, they enter calmly in four minutes, smash display cases, take their loot, and leave. No violence, very professional.”
Officials reported that the thieves specifically targeted two display cases, successfully stealing nine pieces of jewelry from the prestigious collection, reportedly including a tiara, a necklace, and a brooch associated with Napoleon and Empress Josephine.
The Empress’s Crown Found Broken
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez powerfully summarized the loss, saying the criminals “broke a window, headed to several display cases and stole jewels, which truly possess a real historical, priceless value.” Consequently, the Parisian Public Prosecutor’s Office immediately opened a formal investigation into suspected “organized theft and criminal conspiracy to commit a crime,” assigning a specialized police unit to the case.
Officials did recover one piece of jewelry outside the sprawling museum complex, apparently dropped carelessly as the gang sped away on their motorbikes, giving investigators a key piece of evidence. Although Minister Dati declined to confirm the exact item, newspaper Le Parisien reported that police believed the recovered jewel was the broken crown of Napoleon III’s wife, Empress EugEnie, significantly damaged during the hasty getaway.
A video shared on X by a museum guide clearly showed confused visitors quickly filing toward the available exits in the middle of their tours, entirely unaware of the dramatic reason for the sudden and disruptive evacuation. Happily, nobody suffered injuries during the incident, Minister Dati confirmed, as the thieves deliberately avoided confronting any museum staff or visitors throughout the entire operation.
The Louvre, which stands as the world’s most-visited museum and holds Leonardo da Vinci’s revered Mona Lisa, announced on X that it would remain shut for the rest of the day for “exceptional reasons,” preventing further visitation.
A Pattern of Organized Crime
This astonishing theft follows a similar, disturbing incident just last month when thieves stole gold nuggets valued at €600,000 from the nearby National Museum of Natural History, demonstrating a clear pattern of organized crime targeting Parisian institutions.
Minister Dati stressed that the persistent issue of museum security is certainly not a new phenomenon: “For 40 years, there was little focus on securing these major museums, and two years ago, the president of the Louvre requested a security audit from the police prefect.” She continued, explaining that museums must swiftly adapt to modern criminal threats: “Today, it’s organised crime – professionals.”
Earlier this year, officials at the Louvre had specifically requested urgent assistance from the French government to restore and renovate the museum’s deteriorating exhibition halls and better protect its countless priceless works of art.
The famous Mona Lisa itself was once stolen from the museum in 1911 in a famously daring art theft involving a former employee, whom police eventually caught, returning the priceless painting two years later.
