Louvre Jewel Heist: A Swift, Surgical Strike on France’s Royal Treasures
The crime unfolded in broad daylight on Sunday morning, between 9:30 and 9:40 a.m., just after the museum had opened its gates to the public. Four masked assailants arrived in a vehicle equipped with a mechanical lift, using it to access the Galerie d’Apollon, the glittering hall that houses some of France’s most precious artifacts, through a balcony facing the River Seine.
Armed with power tools, two of the men sliced through the gallery’s glass windows with a battery-powered disc cutter, gaining entry while the others remained outside to secure their escape. Once inside, they calmly threatened security guards, prompting an immediate evacuation of visitors and staff. Within minutes, two display cases had been shattered and the jewels inside vanished.
Alarms blared, and the museum’s emergency protocols kicked in swiftly. A quick-thinking employee managed to prevent the thieves from setting their getaway vehicle ablaze, an apparent attempt to destroy evidence.
A Seven-Minute Operation
Culture Minister Rachida Dati told TF1 that surveillance footage revealed “composed, methodical” movements — the robbers appeared highly trained and unhurried. The entire operation lasted less than seven minutes, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez later confirmed. The thieves sped away on two scooters, disappearing into the city’s winding streets before police could respond.
No injuries were reported, and officials praised staff for ensuring visitor safety amid what witnesses described as “moments of total panic.” By late morning, the museum’s entrances had been sealed off as investigators combed through CCTV footage and tracked the thieves’ escape route.
The Missing Masterpieces
Authorities confirmed that eight historic jewels — all from the 19th century and once part of France’s royal and imperial collections — were taken. These include:
A diamond tiara and brooch once owned by Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III
An emerald necklace and pair of emerald earrings belonging to Empress Marie Louise
A sapphire tiara, necklace, and single earring once shared between Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense
A “reliquary brooch,” famed for its intricate setting and gemwork
Each piece, adorned with countless diamonds and coloured gemstones, carries immense historical and cultural significance — value that far exceeds monetary estimates.
In a small stroke of fortune, two items, including Empress Eugénie’s crown, were discovered abandoned near the museum, apparently dropped during the robbers’ hasty escape. Experts are now assessing them for damage.
Describing the theft as a “cultural catastrophe,” Minister Nuñez said the jewels were “beyond price — fragments of our shared heritage.”
The Louvre remains temporarily closed as investigators pursue leads on what is now being called one of France’s most audacious art crimes in decades.