In a truly audacious act, thieves pulled off a daring daylight robbery at the world-renowned Louvre Museum in Paris on Sunday, absconding with jewels of ‘incalculable’ value, according to France’s interior minister.
The incredible heist took place around 9:30 a.m. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez revealed on France Inter radio that the culprits employed an unusual method: they used a furniture lift truck, commonly seen moving belongings into high-rise Parisian flats via windows, to breach the second-floor Galerie d’Apollon.
Within the opulent, gilded confines of the Apollon Gallery, home to France’s priceless royal gem collection and historic crown diamonds like “The Regent,” “The Sancy,” and the “Hortensia,” the thieves efficiently smashed two display cases. They seized eight exquisite pieces before making their escape on motor scooters – a lightning-fast operation completed in a mere seven minutes, as confirmed by Mr. Nuñez.
The stolen treasures, detailed by the French Ministry of Culture, comprised a magnificent royal sapphire necklace and matching earrings, an equally stunning emerald set, and a pearl and diamond-encrusted diadem once gracing Empress Eugénie, spouse of Napoleon III.
“This was no ordinary theft; it was a major robbery,” stated Mr. Nuñez. Investigators suspect a team of three or four highly experienced criminals, judging by the remarkable precision and swift execution of the operation.
However, in their hurried getaway, the robbers inadvertently dropped a precious crown belonging to Empress Eugénie. This stunning piece is adorned with 1,354 diamonds and 56 emeralds, as noted on the Louvre’s official records.
Five museum staff members were present in the Apollon Gallery when the intruders forced entry, triggering security alarms. The French Culture Ministry reported that staff immediately followed protocol, contacting police and prioritizing the safety of visitors and personnel.
Having been open for just 30 minutes, the museum was bustling with visitors. Initial shouts from security guards, urging people to evacuate, caused some panic, with concerns ranging from a terrorist attack to a fire. Joseph Sanchez, a tourist from Puerto Rico who was queuing with his family to see the Mona Lisa, recounted being held in the lobby for over an hour before a calm evacuation ensued.
(Image: Police officers standing next to a furniture elevator that was reportedly used by robbers to enter the Louvre Museum on Sunday.)
(Image: A broken window that is believed to have been used in the robbery.)
Fortunately, French Culture Minister Rachida Dati confirmed that no one was injured during the incident.
The Louvre was promptly closed for the remainder of the day, a necessary step both for security and to allow investigators to meticulously preserve all traces and clues related to the crime.
A significant police and army presence quickly descended upon the scene. Authorities indicated that investigators were diligently sifting through abandoned items and extensive security camera footage to piece together the events.
The Paris prosecutor’s office has launched a full investigation, with efforts underway to determine the precise extent of the losses.
As the world’s largest museum, the former royal palace of the Louvre boasts an astonishing collection of over 33,000 works, from sculptures to paintings and ancient artifacts, spread across countless wings and courtyards. It typically welcomes up to 30,000 visitors daily, a number so vast that France’s President Emmanuel Macron earlier this year unveiled plans for a dedicated room and entrance specifically for Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa.
(Image: The Galerie d’Apollon at the Louvre in 2020.)
This high-profile robbery is not an isolated incident; French museums have recently faced a disturbing wave of similar crimes. Just last week, the President Jacques Chirac Museum in Corrèze was burgled twice within 48 hours by armed, balaclava-clad individuals.
September saw other significant thefts, including approximately $700,000 worth of raw gold nuggets from the National Museum of Natural History, mere blocks from the Louvre. Additionally, the Adrien Dubouché museum in Limoges reported the theft of two porcelain dishes and a vase valued at about €9.5 million, or $11 million.
Arthur Brand, a 56-year-old Dutch art crime expert, expressed little surprise at the Louvre heist, citing the recent surge in museum robberies. Yet, he acknowledged that breaking into France’s premier museum to snatch its crown jewels represents ‘the ultimate art heist, something straight out of a movie.’
The Louvre itself has a history of dramatic thefts. In the summer of 1911, a museum employee famously stole the Mona Lisa. The painting was recovered two years later when the culprit, Vincenzo Peruggia, attempted to sell it.
(Image: Less than three years after it was stolen from the Louvre, the Mona Lisa returned to Paris in January 1914.)
Further high-profile incidents include a 1976 dawn break-in where three burglars scaled scaffolding and smashed second-floor windows to steal King Charles X’s diamond-studded sword. In 1990, Pierre Auguste Renoir’s ‘Portrait of a Seated Woman’ was cut from its frame and taken from a third-floor gallery.
Across Europe, museums in other nations have also fallen victim to similar robberies.
A notable case occurred in 2019, when thieves raided the Royal Palace museum in Dresden, Germany, escaping with over 100 million euros (approximately $116 million) in jewels. Most of these precious items were later recovered through a plea deal.
Minister Nuñez affirmed that security at the Louvre has been significantly bolstered in recent years and will be further enhanced as part of the museum’s ongoing renovation plans.
Despite these efforts, he conceded to France Inter, ‘But we can’t prevent everything.’
(Correction: A correction was issued on Oct. 19, 2025: An earlier version of this article mistakenly identified the dropped item as a tiara, when it was, in fact, a crown belonging to Empress Eugénie.)