In a brazen operation that has exposed critical security flaws at the world’s most visited museum, a team of thieves executed a precisely orchestrated heist at the Louvre on Sunday – making off with eight priceless pieces of 19th-century French imperial jewellery. The daylight robbery, which unfolded just minutes after the museum opened its doors to the public, lasted less than ten minutes and involved a basket lift used by the perpetrators to scale the museum’s façade.
According to French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, the theft was the work of a ‘very experienced team’ that acted with startling speed. The individuals targeted the gilded Apollo Gallery – home to the French Crown Jewels – forcing entry through a second-floor window overlooking the Seine River.
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Mechanics Of The Heist
The operation began around 9:30am local time. Authorities report that the thieves arrived in a truck fitted with a basket lift, which they then raised onto a balcony. Disguised as construction workers, at least two of the perpetrators used power tools – including an angle grinder – to cut through a windowpane to gain entry.
Once inside, the thieves brandished their tools to intimidate guards, triggering an immediate evacuation of the gallery. As alarms blared, they shattered two display cases, snatched historic jewels, and fled on waiting motorbikes. The entire heist – from entry to escape – lasted just four to seven minutes.
‘Clearly, a team had been scouting the location,’ Minister Nuñez said in a radio interview.
Stolen Treasures & A Damaged Crown
The French Ministry of Culture released a detailed inventory of the stolen items, emphasising their ‘inestimable’ historical and cultural significance. The haul includes:
- A sapphire tiara, necklace, and a single earring from a set once worn by 19th-century queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense.
- An emerald necklace and matching earrings from the collection of Empress Marie-Louise, Napoleon Bonaparte’s second wife.
- A reliquary brooch.
- The tiara and an elaborate corsage-bow brooch belonging to Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III.
In their frantic escape, the thieves dropped one of the most iconic pieces: Empress Eugénie’s imperial crown. The ornate diadem – adorned with over 1,300 diamonds and 56 emeralds – sustained damage but was recovered just outside the museum. Notably, the Regent Diamond, one of the world’s most celebrated gems and valued in the tens of millions, remained untouched in its display case.
Security Failures & Political Repercussions
The successful heist has triggered fierce criticism of the Louvre’s security protocols. The fact that thieves could deploy heavy machinery against the museum’s façade in broad daylight – without immediate intervention – has been denounced as an unconscionable lapse.
The incident quickly reverberated throughout French politics. Far-right leader Jordan Bardella condemned the robbery as an ‘unbearable humiliation’ for the nation and a symptom of institutional decline under President Emmanuel Macron.
In response, President Macron stated on social media that ‘everything is being done’ to apprehend the suspects and recover the stolen treasures – calling the theft ‘an attack on a heritage we cherish.’
A History Of Thefts & An Uncertain Future
The Louvre is no stranger to high-profile thefts. Perhaps the most famous incident occurred in 1911, when the ‘Mona Lisa’ was stolen by an Italian handyman – an event which many are now drawing parallels to. While security around flagship works like the ‘Mona Lisa’ is now exceptionally tight, Sunday’s heist reveals that protections remain uneven across the museum’s vast collection of more than 33,000 items.
This incident also brings renewed attention to longstanding concerns from staff unions about chronic understaffing and overcrowding – factors they say compromise security and create exploitable gaps. As forensic teams comb the scene and investigators pore over CCTV footage, key questions remain unanswered: the exact number of perpetrators, whether they received inside help, and how they bypassed multiple layers of surveillance. Art recovery specialists have voiced pessimism about the jewels’ return, noting that professional thieves often dismantle or recut distinctive stones to erase their provenance. ‘We need to break up these gangs and find another approach, or we’re going to lose things that we are never going to see again,’ said Christopher Marinello, founder of Art Recovery International.
The Louvre remained closed for the rest of Sunday as the investigation continues to unfold, its gilded corridors now the site of one of the most audacious cultural crimes in modern European history.
Catherine Pun
A Hong Kong native with Filipino-Chinese roots, Catherine infuses every part of her life with zest, whether she’s belting out karaoke tunes or exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations. Her downtime often includes unwinding with Netflix and indulging in a 10-step skincare routine. As the Editorial Director of Friday Club., Catherine brings her wealth of experience from major publishing houses, where she refined her craft and even authored a book. Her sharp editorial insight makes her a dynamic force, always on the lookout for the next compelling narrative.
