Thieves executed a bold heist at the Louvre Museum on Sunday, making off with priceless French Crown Jewels in an audacious seven-minute raid, French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed. The Apollo Gallery, home to Louis XIV’s hardstone vessels and French royal jewelry, was targeted in the early-morning robbery.
According to authorities, four suspects gained entry using a freight elevator brought on-site via truck. They forced open a window with an angle grinder and threatened guards with the tool, but were unarmed. Eight of nine items remain missing, including a tiara and necklace once worn by Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense. A crown belonging to Empress Eugénie, featuring 1,354 diamonds and 56 emeralds, was abandoned and damaged during the escape.
French prosecutors confirmed the robbery was meticulously planned. Video from the scene showed the abandoned elevator and tools, including angle grinders, a blowtorch, gasoline, gloves, and a walkie-talkie. A yellow vest used by the perpetrators to disguise themselves as workers was also recovered. Witnesses reported hearing loud noises and shouted commands to evacuate, though no injuries occurred.
President Emmanuel Macron called the theft “an attack on a heritage we cherish” and vowed that authorities would recover the stolen items and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Investigators have opened an inquiry for “aggravated theft by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy” and have not ruled out foreign involvement. Security measures have been heightened, and the museum remains closed while police continue their investigation.
Art recovery expert Christopher Marinello warned that if the thieves aim to liquidate the items quickly, the jewels could be melted down or recut, erasing centuries of historical significance.
The Louvre, which welcomed 8.7 million visitors last year, had not experienced a robbery of this magnitude in over a century, with the most famous prior case being the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa.
