🎨 Louvre burglary: eight jewels of “inexpensive value” stolen, commando on the run
A spectacular burglary took place Sunday morning at the Louvre Museum in Paris. Eight 19th-century jewels, of “inexpensive” heritage value, were stolen from the Apollo Gallery. A “commando” of four individuals is actively being sought.
💎 A flight as daring as it is fast
Soon after 9:30 a.m., three to four burglars managed to break into the Apollo Gallery, one of the architectural jewels of the Louvre, where the jewels of the Crown of France.
The criminals used a lifting platform to reach a window, before breaking it angle grinder. They then fractured two high security display cases and took away nine pieces, including eight were not found.
Among the stolen items is the Queen Marie-Amélie's sapphire necklace, composed of 631 diamonds and eight sapphires, as well as the Marie-Louise's emerald necklace, adorned with 32 precious stones.
A ninth jewel, the crown of Empress Eugenie, has been abandoned near the museum, slightly damaged, according to the Ministry of Culture.
BFM TV THE robbery of the century at Louvre
🏛️ “An attack on our history,” reacts Emmanuel Macron
The President Emmanuel Macron reacted on X (formerly Twitter), denouncing “an attack on a heritage that we cherish, because it is our History”.
"We will find the works and the perpetrators will be brought to justice," he assured.
The Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, confirmed the information by speaking of a “robbery” within the most visited museum in the world.
A methodical and prepared operation
Investigators are talking about a “experienced commando” composed of four people with a hidden face, having fled on board powerful scooters.
A scooter was found near the museum, abandoned in an adjacent street.
The Minister of the Interior, Laurent Nuñez, said he was “hopeful” of finding the perpetrators quickly, adding that the burglars could be “seasoned and foreign”.
THE Paris Public Prosecutor's Office opened an investigation for organized theft And criminal association, entrusted to the Brigade for the Suppression of Banditry (BRB).
🚨 The Louvre closed for “exceptional reasons”
The museum, which hosts more than nine million visitors per year, remained closed Sunday in order to “preserve traces and clues for the investigation”.
The alarms went off at the time of the break-in, but the burglars acted in less than five minutes, according to a source close to the matter.
Five Louvre agents were present in the gallery and immediately evacuated the visitors without incident.
The Ministry of Culture welcomed their “cool-headedness and professionalism”, specifying that the thieves had left some of their equipment behind.
⚠️ Security flaws in French museums
Asked about possible failures of the system, the Minister of the Interior acknowledged the "vulnerability" many museums.
"We know that there are gaps in the security of cultural institutions, including the Louvre," he said.
This burglary comes a few weeks after similar thefts in National Museum of Natural History in Paris and in a museum of Limoges.
THE last major theft at the Louvre dated back to 1998, when “The Studio” by Camille Corot had disappeared in broad daylight — she was never found.
The most famous precedent remains that of “The Mona Lisa”, stolen in 1911 by the Italian worker Vincenzo Peruggia.
🕵️♂️ Investigation underway and hope for recovery
The authorities are cautious but confident.
"We're dealing with professionals. They knew exactly what to aim for," said a police source.
Investigators are examining the CCTV footage and cross-reference telephone data in the area.
The museum announced that it would immediately strengthen security of its precious collections.
A crisis unit has been opened at the Ministry of Culture.
Press release from the French Ministry of Culture
In summary
- Place : Louvre Museum, Paris
- Date : Sunday, October 19, 2025
- Stolen items: Eight 19th-century jewels of “inexpensive” value
- Suspects: Four individuals fleeing on scooters
- Jewel found: Crown of Empress Eugenie (damaged)
- Investigation : BRB, Paris Public Prosecutor's Office
Do you think Swiss museums could experience a similar adventure?
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