In a brazen daylight robbery Sunday morning, thieves infiltrated the Louvre Museum in Paris and escaped with eight priceless Napoleonic-era jewels in what French officials described as a “four-minute operation”, The Associated Press reported.
The theft occurred just 30 minutes after the museum opened to the public, with visitors already inside.
According to Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, the perpetrators used a basket lift to reach a window on the Seine-facing façade, cut through panes with a disc cutter, and smashed display cases in the Apollon Gallery - home to France’s Crown Jewels. The stolen items include a sapphire diadem, necklace, and earring linked to Queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense; an emerald necklace and earrings from Empress Marie-Louise; a reliquary brooch; Empress Eugénie’s diadem; and her corsage-bow brooch.
One item - the emerald-studded crown of Empress Eugénie - was later recovered outside the museum, reportedly damaged.
No injuries were reported, and alarms triggered a rapid response from museum staff, forcing the intruders to flee on motorbikes. The museum was closed for the remainder of the day as forensic teams began their investigation.
Culture Minister Rachida Dati called the theft “professional,” noting the operation’s speed and precision. Critics, however, pointed to longstanding concerns over overcrowding and understaffing at the Louvre, which receives up to 30,000 visitors daily. Unions have warned that mass tourism and limited personnel create security vulnerabilities.
Security around marquee works like the Mona Lisa remains tight, but the theft exposed uneven protection across the museum’s 33,000 artifacts. The incident occurred just 250 meters from the Mona Lisa’s bulletproof-glass enclosure.
French media reported that four perpetrators were involved - two dressed as construction workers operating the lift, and two others on scooters. Authorities are reviewing CCTV footage and interviewing staff present at the time.
Authorities continue to investigate whether the thieves had inside assistance. The stolen jewels are described as having “inestimable” historical value.