Thieves steal priceless jewellery from world’s largest museum
Thieves steal priceless jewellery from world’s largest museum
Thieves broke into Paris’ Louvre Museum, the world’s largest museum, and carted away with priceless jewels, according to the French government.
The robbers reportedly used a crane to smash an upstairs window and entered the section that houses the French crown jewels before escaping on motorbikes.
The theft took place around 9:30 a.m. (0730 GMT) on Sunday, shortly after the museum had opened to the public, the Interior Ministry said.
Culture Minister Rachida Dati told TF1 that the robbery lasted about four minutes and was executed by professionals.
“We saw some footage: they don’t target people, they enter calmly in four minutes, smash display cases, take their loot, and leave. No violence, very professional,” she said.
She added that one piece of jewelry was recovered outside the museum, apparently dropped during the thieves’ escape. Although Dati did not specify what the item was, Le Parisien reported it was believed to be the crown of Napoleon III’s wife, Empress Eugénie, and that it was damaged.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told France Inter that three or four thieves gained access to the museum using a crane mounted on a truck.
“They broke a window, headed to several display cases, and stole jewels which have a real historical, priceless value,” Nunez said.
French police have since cordoned off the Louvre and nearby roads following the daring heist, which has raised concerns about security at the world-famous museum.
Officials have previously warned about underinvestment in the facility, which drew 8.7 million visitors in 2024.
Built in 1546 as a royal palace for King Francis I, the Louvre became a public museum in 1793 during the French Revolution. It now houses over 35,000 works of art, including Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, and attracts around 30,000 visitors daily.
The museum’s official X account stated, “The Musée du Louvre will remain closed today for exceptional reasons.”
How did thieves pull off such a bold jewel heist at the world’s biggest museum? Let’s know your views in the comment section.
