Thieves wearing balaclavas broke into the Louvre museum in Paris by using a crane to break an upstairs window and then stole valuable items from the section housing the French crown jewels before escaping on motorcycles, according to officials. The incident has raised concerns about security at the museum, which had previously highlighted a lack of investment in the renowned establishment that saw 8.7 million visitors in 2024.
French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the theft as an attack on the nation’s heritage and vowed to recover the stolen works and bring the culprits to justice. The robbery occurred around 9:30 a.m. local time while the museum was open to the public, with the thieves entering the Galerie d’Apollon wing. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau revealed that the four thieves, who were unarmed but threatened guards with angle grinders, completed the robbery in about six to seven minutes.
The criminals targeted nine objects, successfully stealing eight of them. Notably, they dropped the ninth item, the crown of Napoleon III’s wife, Empress Eugénie, during their escape. The stolen crown alone is valued at several tens of millions of euros. The missing jewels include items such as a tiara, necklace, earrings, and brooch from various royal sets.
Despite the theft, the Regent diamond, estimated to be worth over $60 million, was left untouched. One of the thieves was identified as wearing a yellow reflective vest, which was later recovered by investigators. Additionally, the robbers attempted to set fire to the crane mounted on a truck as they fled the scene.
The Interior Minister noted that a specialized police unit with a successful track record in solving high-profile robberies is leading the investigation. While all leads are being pursued, authorities believe the robbery may have been orchestrated by a collector or carried out by thieves focused solely on the valuable jewels and metals. The involvement of organized crime, rather than foreign interference, is being considered a primary hypothesis.
The Louvre museum, a popular tourist destination, announced its closure for the day due to the incident. Visitors Joan and Jim Carpenter expressed their surprise at being evacuated from a gallery just before viewing the iconic Mona Lisa. The painting, famously stolen in 1911 and later recovered, remains a symbol of daring art theft.
Earlier this year, Louvre officials had requested urgent government assistance to enhance security and renovate aging exhibition halls. The Culture Minister emphasized the need for museums to adapt to modern forms of crime, particularly organized criminal activities, which pose a significant threat to cultural heritage protection.