The world-renowned Louvre Museum in Paris closed for the day after thieves used a freight elevator and smashed an upstairs window and display cases during opening hours to steal priceless jewellery.
The daring raid lasted seven minutes before they fled on motorcycles, according to French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez. He said three or four thieves stole items from two displays in Apollo's Gallery, which is home to the French crown jewels.
In their haste to leave, the thieves reportedly dropped the crown of Napoleon III's wife, Empress Eugenie. The crown was later found damaged, according to French news reports. Daily Le Parisien reported that another crown was stolen, alongside eight other pieces of jewellery, including earrings, a brooch and a necklace.
Two of the thieves were dressed as workers with yellow vests, while a third and fourth were waiting on separate TMAX scooters, Le Parisien reported. An investigation has been launched and police mobilised to find the perpetrators. The hunt is still on for the culprits, whom officials said were experienced and did not hurt anyone in the spectacular theft.
The thieves reportedly entered the building through a construction access point on the banks of the Seine at about 9:30am local time, half an hour after the museum had opened its doors to the public.
After using a freight elevator to reach Apollo's Gallery, two men reportedly smashed display cases and stole from the Napoleon and Empress Josephine collection.
“These jewels have a real heritage value,” said Mr Nunez. “Their value is really invaluable. It's obviously a major robbery. Clearly, the team had done reconnaissance, was very experienced, and acted very quickly.”
He did not exclude the possibility that the robbers were foreigners, pointing to the recent theft of 99 bags worth €575,000 in a Chanel boutique with a car-ram on October 2. The thieves, who were arrested one week later, are not French, Mr Nunez said, though he did not reveal their citizenship.
French museums are “highly vulnerable” to robberies, according to Mr Nunez, who was head of police in Paris until his appointment in the latest French cabinet last week.
The jewels will likely be very hard to resell. “They sell very poorly and can only be of interest to collectors, but to do what with it? One can only wonder,” Mr Nunez said.
In January, French President Emmanuel Macron launched an ambitious renovation plan for the Louvre. At the time, he had pledged that “nothing would be forgotten”, including the “safety and security of the collections.”
The incident on Sunday was quickly picked up by opposition politicians, some of whom pointed at a short strike in June by Louvre personnel because of insufficient security staff.
The Louvre, which attracts more than eight million visitors a year, contains some of the world’s most valuable artworks, including Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo.
What is the Apollo's Gallery?
Home to the French crown jewels, the gallery houses the royal collection of hardstone vessels, finely carved bowls and ornaments made from materials such as agate, jade, lapis lazuli and rock crystal.
These objects were among King Louis XIV’s prized possessions and reflect the craftsmanship of European and Asian artisans during his reign.
It also displays historic diamonds including the Regent, Sancy and Hortensia, three of France’s most celebrated stones. The Regent, discovered in India in 1698, once adorned Napoleon’s sword; the Sancy dates to the 15th century and was worn by several European monarchs; while the pale pink Hortensia diamond belonged to Queen Marie Antoinette.
Commissioned in the 17th century by Louis XIV, the space was designed by architect Louis Le Vau and decorated by painter Charles Le Brun. Its vaulted ceiling is painted with scenes of the Roman sun god Apollo guiding his chariot across the sky.
The space also recently served as a backdrop for major cultural events. In 2022 it was one of several Paris museums that hosted an Yves Saint Laurent exhibition, displaying the designer’s embroidered jackets within its gilded setting.
None of the original works from the Apollo's Gallery have been exhibited at Louvre Abu Dhabi because the French crown jewels remain part of France’s permanent national collection.
