The group of theives, described as ‘highly organised’, broke into the Louvre on Sunday morning using power tools before fleeing on scooters with eight pricess pieces of jewellery – sparking an evacuation
Paris’ Louvre Museum was forced into lockdown this weekend after a group of thieves pulled of a brazen heist[1] in broad daylight, making off with France[2]‘s crown jewels.
The gang – described as “highly organised” – broke into the world’s most visited museum on Sunday morning using power tools, before fleeing on scooters with eight priceless pieces of jewellery.
Cops have now launched a widespread manhunt for the perpetrators, who had done ample research before carrying out the “major, highly organised operation,” Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said. President Emmanuel Macron[3] has promised the thieves will be caught and the items they stole recovered.
Here is everything we know about the heist which continues to send shockwaves through France.
READ MORE: Louvre robbery: ‘Criminal gang posed as workmen’ in seven-minute jewellery heist[4]READ MORE: Paris Louvre robbery sends tourists fleeing in panic[5]
How did the thieves break in?
The robbery unfolded just after 9:30am on Sunday, minutes after the museum opened. Four masked men used a vehicle-mounted lift to reach a balcony near the Galerie d’Apollon (Gallery of Apollo), overlooking the River Seine. Two of them sliced through glass panes with a battery-powered cutter and slipped inside, forcing guards to evacuate visitors as alarms blared through the galleries.
The thieves smashed open two display cabinets and snatched royal treasures before fleeing within minutes. Their attempt to set fire to the vehicle outside was thwarted by a quick-thinking staff member, officials said.
Culture Minister Rachida Dati said the robbers entered “calmly” inflicted “no violence,” and were “very professional,” while Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the entire raid lasted just seven minutes. CCTV footage is now being probed as witnesses recall scenes of “total panic” as the Louvre was evacuated and its entrances were sealed shut.
What was stolen – and how much were the items worth?
Authorities say the thieves took eight treasures, including tiaras, necklaces, earrings and brooches – all 19th century pieces once owned by French royalty and imperial rulers.
According to the ministry of culture, the stolen items were: A tiara and brooch belonging to Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III; an emerald necklace and a pair of emerald earrings from Empress Marie Louise; a tiara, necklace and single earring from the sapphire set that belonged to Queen Marie-Amelie and Queen Hortense; and a brooch known as the “reliquary brooch”.
Together, the jewels are encrusted with thousands of diamonds and rare gemstones, representing some of France’s finest craftmanship. Two other items – including Empress Eugénie’s crown – were found near the scene, apparently dropped during the getaway. Experts are now examining them for damage.
Nuñez described the stolen jewels as “priceless” and “of immeasurable heritage value,” calling the theft a “major robbery” with an “incalculable” loss to French history.
Footage shows moment brazen thief breaks open display
A video filmed by a visitor has captured the socking moment one of the theives sliced open a display cabinet at the Louvre. Footage shows the masked man, dressed in black and a high-vis jacket, calmly cutting through the glass protecting the jewels before making off with the loot. The group were said to be posing as workmen during the seven-minute heist.
Police later examined the massive ladder used in the break-in, which was driven to the scene on the back of a flat-bed truck and left propped against the museum’s historic stone walls.
Have similar thefts happened before?
The Louvre has faced major security breaches in the past – most famously in 1911, when a museum employee slipped the Mona Lisa off the wall and smuggled it out under his coat. The painting, then little-known, was missing for two years before being recovered. It now hangs behind bulletproof glass.
In 1998, the Le Chemin de Sevres – a 19th century work by Camille Corot – was stolen and never recovered – prompting a major overhaul of museum security.
More recently, French museums have seen a string of thefts. Just last month, robbers stole £8.25m (€9.5m) worth of porcelain from the Adrien Dubouche Museum in Limoges. In November 2024, seven items of “great historic and heritage value” were snatched from Paris’ Cognacq-Jay Museum, though five have since been recovered. Around the same time, armed thieves raided the Hieron Museum in Burgundy, firing shots before fleeing with millions of pounds’ worth of 20th century artworks.
References
- ^ heist (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ France (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ President Emmanuel Macron (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ Louvre robbery: ‘Criminal gang posed as workmen’ in seven-minute jewellery heist (www.mirror.co.uk)
- ^ Paris Louvre robbery sends tourists fleeing in panic (www.mirror.co.uk)