Thieves broke into Paris’s Louvre Museum early Sunday and stole several priceless jewels from the Galerie d’Apollon, home to the French Crown Jewels.
The gang entered through a window using construction equipment, smashed display cases, and escaped within minutes; one damaged crown was later recovered outside.
French authorities suspect an organised crime network and have launched a major probe amid renewed scrutiny of the museum’s security systems.
A Daylight Heist At Paris' Louvre Museum Has Left The Art World Reeling
According to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez and Culture Minister Rachida Dati, 3-4 suspects are believed to have been involved, and no one was injured during the incident. Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage and assessing possible involvement of organised crime networks.
Summary
Early on Sunday at around 9:30 a.m., a highly-organised team of thieves broke into the museum’s opulent Galerie d’Apollon—home to the French Crown Jewels—and made off with jewels described by authorities as of “inestimable” heritage value.
The burglary was executed in just minutes: the culprits approached via the Seine-facing facade, allegedly using a truck-mounted basket or lift amid ongoing construction, forced open a window, smashed display cases and fled—some on motorbikes. According to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez and Culture Minister Rachida Dati, 3-4 suspects are believed to have been involved, and no one was injured during the incident. Investigators are reviewing CCTV footage and assessing possible involvement of organised crime networks.
The museum, the world’s most-visited, shut its doors for the day “for exceptional reasons” as forensic teams secured the scene and began compiling an inventory of the missing items. One piece—a crown believed to have belonged to Empress Eugénie de Montijo—was later recovered broken, outside the museum.
The theft amplifies long-standing concerns about aging infrastructure and over-strained security at the Louvre, which had previously sounded alarms over overcrowding and inadequate protective measures. The government has come under pressure to overhaul museum safeguards in the wake of the heist.
As the investigation continues, the safe recovery of the treasures appears uncertain, with experts warning the items could be re-cut or dispersed to evade detection. Authorities have urged anyone with information to come forward
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