In a brazen daylight robbery inside the world’s most-visited museum, thieves used a cherry picker to reach a window of the Louvre, smashed display cases in the Galerie d’Apollon and escaped with priceless Napoleonic jewels, all within minutes and as tourists milled nearby.
The heist unfolded just 250 metres from the Mona Lisa in what Culture Minister Rachida Dati described as “a four-minute operation”. Shaky footage circulating online shows a man in a high-visibility vest striking at a glass vitrine as alarms echo through the gallery.
Officials say several intruders, believed to have approached from a riverside construction zone, cut through window panes shortly after 9:30 a.m. local time and headed directly for the display cases. They took nine pieces from a 23-item collection linked to Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie before fleeing on motorbikes. One item – reportedly Eugénie’s emerald-studded crown – was later found shattered just beyond the museum walls.
No injuries were reported, but the theft has rattled France’s cultural heart. Images from the scene showed bewildered tourists being ushered from the museum’s glass pyramid as police sealed nearby streets along the Seine.
The Galerie d’Apollon, crowned by a Louis XIV ceiling and home to part of the French Crown Jewels, ranks among the Louvre’s most symbolic halls. Pulling off a robbery there, during visiting hours, is being described as one of Europe’s most audacious museum thefts since the Dresden Green Vault burglary in 2019.
The incident also exposes long-running strains within the museum. Louvre staff have repeatedly warned of overcrowding, security gaps and chronic understaffing. A walkout in June delayed opening hours, with unions warning that “mass tourism leaves too few eyes on too many rooms.”
While marquee works such as the Mona Lisa remain heavily protected, behind bulletproof glass and climate-controlled cases, the intrusion has raised questions over vulnerabilities in areas affected by renovation works.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed that investigators are reviewing CCTV footage, examining the cherry picker used to access the window, and interviewing staff who were present when doors opened on Sunday morning. French media report four suspects: two posing as construction workers and two accomplices waiting on scooters.
The theft has already spilled into politics. Far-right leader Jordan Bardella called it “an unbearable humiliation for our country,” using the incident to attack President Emmanuel Macron, who recently announced a €700 million “Louvre New Renaissance” plan to modernise the museum by 2031.
Authorities have described the stolen jewels as of “inestimable historical value.” Experts warn recovery is unlikely. “Professional crews often re-cut large, recognisable stones to erase their provenance,” said Tobias Kormind of 77 Diamonds.
The Louvre remained closed for the rest of Sunday as forensic teams combed the gallery and adjoining access routes for evidence.
Images: Wikimedia / Youtube
