- The iconic Louvre Museum in Paris was closed after a robbery
- French Culture Minister Rachida Dati confirmed the robbery at the museum
- Robbers used a hydraulic ladder to gain access and fled with the jewellery
The Louvre has closed for the day after Napoleon-era jewels were stolen from the iconic museum in Paris that is home to some of the world's most iconic historical artefacts, including the Mona Lisa. The robbers entered the museum using a hydraulic ladder and made away with "priceless jewellery," said France's Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, calling it a "major robbery".
The robbery occurred around 9:30 am. The intruders entered via the under-construction Seine-facing facade and used a hydraulic ladder to reach the Apollo gallery, reported French daily Le Parisien. The Apollo Gallery had a selection of the French Crown Jewels on display at that time.
They broke in by cutting the windowpanes with “a disc cutter,” said Nunez, suggesting that a team had supposedly done scouting before the daring heist. The entire operation "lasted seven minutes," he said.
The robbers made away with "nine pieces" from the jewellery collection of "Napoleon and the Empress," according to Le Parisien. One stolen jewel was later found outside the museum, it said.
The world-renowned museum is yet to comment on the incident. It has cited "exceptional reasons" for the sudden closure.
The Paris prosecutor's office has opened an investigation and is currently "assessing the damage."
France's Culture Minister Rachida Dati first reported the robbery this morning. No injury was reported, she said, adding that she was at the site with museum staff and police.
Visuals showed barricades erected outside the Louvre and a chaotic crowd waiting for the museum to open. Traffic has also been regulated around its premises.
The World's Most Visited Museum
The Louvre is the world's most visited museum, drawing up to 30,000 visitors a day. It houses over 33,000 artefacts, including antique items, sculptures, and paintings. The top attraction is the Mona Lisa, the world's best-known artwork, besides the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.
The museum has witnessed multiple thefts and attempted robberies over the years, including that of the Mona Lisa. The portrait by Leonardo da Vinci was stolen in 1911 by Vincenzo Peruggia, a former worker who had walked out of the museum with the painting hidden under his coat. It was recovered in Italy's Florence after two years.
The last notable theft at the Louvre was in 1983, when two Renaissance-era pieces of armour went missing from the museum. The stolen items were recovered in 2021.
