The Louvre Museum in Paris had to be closed on Sunday after thieves stole eight priceless royal artefacts in broad daylight. Security cameras captured one of the thieves, dressed in construction gear, cutting through a glass display case while visitors walked nearby.
The thieves targeted the Galerie d'Apollon, or Apollo's Gallery, focusing on two display cases containing 19th-century jewellery once owned by French royalty.
Diadems, necklaces, earrings, and brooches were among the stolen items. The Ministry of Culture said the thieves took: a tiara and brooch belonging to Empress Eugenie, an emerald necklace and earrings from Empress Marie Louise, a tiara, necklace, and single earring from the sapphire set of Queen Marie-Amelie and Queen Hortense, and a brooch known as the "reliquary brooch." All pieces contain thousands of diamonds and other precious gems and are considered "unsellable" due to their uniqueness.
Police recovered two items, including Empress Eugenie's crown, near the museum. Authorities are checking them for damage.
The robbery happened in under 10 minutes, between 9:30 and 9:40 am (French time), shortly after the museum opened.
Four thieves reportedly used a vehicle-mounted lift (cherry picker or basket lift) to reach the first-floor window via a balcony overlooking the River Seine. They cut through glass panes with battery-powered disc cutters and entered the museum.
Inside, the thieves threatened guards, who quickly evacuated visitors. They stole items from two display cases before fleeing on scooters. The gang tried to set fire to their vehicle outside, but a museum staff member stopped them.
The robbery has raised questions about museum security. Labour unions said cutting around 200 full-time security positions over the past 15 years has left the Louvre vulnerable, even as visitor numbers climbed. Past warnings about weak security, including a 1998 theft and a 2021 audit by the current director, had not been fully acted upon.
Ariel Weil, the mayor of Paris Centre, said it was a shock to know that a robbery could be carried out at the Louvre with such ease. "It's a shock... It's been a movie script up until now. It's hard to imagine that it's seemingly so easy to burglarise the Louvre... The unexpected closure of the site is causing a major public order problem," he said.
