he Louvre Museum in Paris has been temporarily closed following a robbery on Sunday morning, France’s Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, confirmed. In a post on X, Dati said that while the incident occurred earlier in the day, there were no reports of injuries. French authorities have launched an investigation into the theft.
According to the French daily Le Parisien, several individuals broke into the museum and managed to escape with jewelry. In response, the Paris prosecutor’s office opened an investigation and called in the Banditry Repression Brigade (BRB).
How the Robbery Took Place
The thieves reportedly accessed the Louvre via the Seine docks, where construction work is ongoing. They used a freight elevator to reach the targeted room in the Apollo Gallery. Two hooded men entered after breaking windows with an angle grinder, while a third stayed outside as a lookout.
The robbers attacked the first two galleries—the Napoleon Gallery and the French Sovereigns’ Gallery—stealing nine pieces from Napoleon and the Empress’s jewelry collection, including a necklace, a brooch, and a tiara. The Regent Diamond, the largest piece in the collection at more than 140 carats, was not stolen. Damage is currently being assessed based on photos of the missing pieces.
The criminals reportedly fled on a scooter toward the A6 motorway. One of the stolen jewels, believed to be Empress Eugénie’s crown, was later found outside the museum, though it had been damaged.
Investigators are considering whether some of the jewels may have already been melted down for resale. A source close to the investigation explained, “The risk is that some of the diamonds could be sold individually, which would make reconstituting the jewels very difficult.”
A Rare Breach at a World-Famous Museum
As the world’s most visited museum, the Louvre houses some of the most valuable artworks and cultural treasures, including the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. Earlier this year, the museum also closed temporarily when employees staged a spontaneous strike over what they described as “untenable” working conditions, citing overwhelming visitor numbers, insufficient staffing, and deteriorating infrastructure.
This is a developing story, and more details will be published as they become available.
Source: tovima.com
