Thieves raid Louvre Museum, steal priceless jewelry

                                      Thieves raid Louvre Museum, steal priceless jewelry

The Interior Minister said "three or four" thieves carried out the robbery in "seven minutes."

Several thieves carried out a jewelry robbery at the Louvre Museum in Paris on Sunday morning before fleeing, according to an informed source, who spoke to Agence France-Presse. According to preliminary investigations, the robbery took place between 9:30 and 9:40 a.m., and the value of the stolen items is currently being assessed.

The thieves, whose number has not yet been revealed, used a freight elevator to reach the hall they targeted. They were equipped with small electric saws, according to a security source. Informed sources reported that the thieves stole nine pieces from Napoleon's jewelry collection.

"Of Heritage Value"

For his part, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez confirmed that the stolen jewelry was "priceless" and "of heritage value." Nunez also explained to local media that the "three or four" thieves carried out the robbery in "seven minutes,".

 Noting that they entered the museum from outside using a crane mounted on the back of a truck to enter the Apollo Hall, where they focused their efforts on "two display cases." The crane used to rob the Louvre (image circulated on X)

"Museums have become targets"

Minister of Culture Rachida Dati later announced that one of the pieces of jewelry stolen during the Louvre's opening had been recovered, having been left by the thieves near the museum as they fled.

Dati told TF1 that "a piece of jewelry has been found near the Louvre and is being examined," adding that "organized crime targets artworks" and that "museums have become targets." The museum had previously announced on its X account that it would be closed on Sunday "for exceptional reasons."

Several Thefts

The Louvre is the world's most visited museum, welcoming nearly 9 million visitors in 2024, approximately 80% of whom are foreigners. Recently, several French museums have been the target of robberies and burglaries, highlighting potential shortcomings in security and surveillance systems. 

In mid-September, gold samples were stolen from the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, which described the incident as an "invaluable loss" to research and heritage.

The museum explained that the theft included several samples of genuine gold (gold in its natural form) and was valued at approximately €600,000. A museum in Limoges, central France, one of the world's leading ceramics museums, was also robbed in September, with the loss estimated at €6.5 million.