An audacious daylight robbery unfolded on Sunday at Paris’s world-famous Louvre Museum, where thieves successfully stole jewels of “incalculable” value, as confirmed by France’s interior minister.
The meticulously planned heist took place around 9:30 a.m. According to Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, speaking to France Inter radio, the culprits employed a truck-mounted lift to force entry into the Galerie d’Apollon. This first-floor wing is renowned for housing a magnificent collection, including the historic French crown jewels.
In a stunning display of speed and precision, the thieves used an angle grinder to smash through a window, quickly gaining access to two display cases. They then escaped on motor scooters, completing the entire operation in a mere seven minutes. While Mr. Nuñez refrained from detailing the specific items taken, he emphasized that the stolen jewels possessed “patrimonial” and “historical” significance, rendering them “priceless.”
Describing it as a “major robbery,” Mr. Nuñez indicated that authorities suspect a team of three or four highly experienced criminals. The precision and swiftness of the operation, he noted, were clear indicators of their veteran status.
France’s culture minister, Rachida Dati, confirmed that no one was injured during the incident and that police were promptly dispatched to the scene.
An image from the scene showed police officers gathered outside the Louvre Museum, with some standing near a furniture elevator believed to have been used by the robbers to gain entry.
In an official statement, the Louvre announced its closure for Sunday, citing it as “a security measure and to preserve traces and clues for the investigation.”
Investigators, Mr. Nuñez confirmed, are meticulously examining all available evidence, including items left behind by the perpetrators and extensive security camera footage.
The Paris prosecutor’s office has launched a formal investigation, with efforts currently underway to “assess the full extent of the losses,” according to a recent statement.
As one of the world’s most visited museums, the Louvre houses over 33,000 masterpieces, including sculptures, paintings, and ancient artifacts. Its collection famously includes Leonardo da Vinci’s iconic Mona Lisa, attracting up to 30,000 visitors daily.
This latest incident isn’t the first time the Louvre has been targeted. The museum has a history of high-profile thefts, most famously in the summer of 1911 when an employee, Vincenzo Peruggia, stole the Mona Lisa. The painting was recovered two years later when Peruggia attempted to sell it in Italy.
In 1976, three burglars executed a daring dawn raid, stealing a 19th-century diamond-studded sword that once belonged to King Charles X of France. They scaled scaffolding and shattered second-floor windows to gain entry. More recently, in 1990, Pierre Auguste Renoir’s “Portrait of a Seated Woman” was brazenly cut from its frame and stolen from a third-floor gallery.
This theft echoes a worrying trend of recent years, with numerous European museums experiencing robberies targeting precious coins and invaluable jewels.
A notable example occurred in 2019, when thieves infiltrated the Green Vault at Dresden’s Royal Palace Museum in Germany, absconding with over 100 million euros (approximately $116 million) in jewels. A significant portion of these stolen items was later recovered following a plea deal.
Despite previous security enhancements at the Louvre, Mr. Nuñez stated that further measures would be implemented as part of the museum’s upcoming overhaul plans.
However, he candidly admitted to France Inter, “But we can’t prevent everything.”
Reporting for this article was also contributed by Jenny Gross and Alex Marshall from London.