PARIS — In one of the most audacious museum heists in recent memory, thieves on Sunday used a construction lift to break into the Louvre Museum in Paris during public hours, smashing display cases in the Galerie d’Apollon and escaping with priceless Napoleonic jewels in a daylight robbery that lasted just four minutes.
French officials said the crew entered through a window overlooking the Seine, where construction work was underway, and made off with nine items from a 23-piece collection linked to Emperor Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie.
The theft occurred about 250 meters from the Mona Lisa, as thousands of tourists crowded nearby galleries.
No injuries were reported. One stolen item — reportedly the emerald-studded crown of Empress Eugénie — was found broken outside the museum walls, Culture Minister Rachida Dati confirmed.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the suspects arrived in a basket lift, smashed their way into the gallery, and fled on motorbikes through the riverfront construction area. Forensic teams have since cordoned off the museum and are analyzing CCTV footage and access points.
The Louvre, which attracts around 30,000 visitors daily, closed for the remainder of the day as police secured the site. The heist has reignited debate over security and staffing shortages, which employees have warned about for months amid record crowds and ongoing renovations.
Far-right leader Jordan Bardella called the theft “an unbearable humiliation for our country,” criticizing President Emmanuel Macron’s government over what he described as “state decay.”
The stolen jewels, part of France’s historic Crown Jewels, are considered of “inestimable” cultural value. Experts warn that recovery may prove difficult, as professional crews often dismantle or re-cut gemstones to conceal their origins.
The Louvre — home to global masterpieces including the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace — has endured thefts before, most famously the 1911 disappearance of the Mona Lisa, which was recovered two years later in Italy. — Agencies
