The Louvre Museum in Paris remained closed on Monday as police proceed to research a brazen daylight heist that lasted less than eight minutes in whole a day earlier contained in the world’s most visited museum.
On Sunday, thieves rode a basket raise (or cherry picker) up the Louvre’s facade and smashed an upstairs window and show circumstances earlier than fleeing with priceless Napoleonic jewels, officers mentioned.
The heist passed off about half-hour after the museum opened, with guests already inside, and unfolded simply 250 metres from the Mona Lisa.
Right here’s all the things we all know up to now about one of many highest-profile museum thefts as a manhunt for the perpetrators is underway in Paris.
The way it occurred
At round 9:30 a.m. native time on Sunday, masked thieves used an electrical ladder and grinders to interrupt into the second-floor Galerie d’Apollon (Apollo’s Gallery), which is a big room the place the Crown Diamonds are displayed, together with the Regent, the Sancy and the Hortensia.
The intruders compelled open a window, reduce panes with a disc cutter and went straight for the glass show circumstances, officers mentioned.
Inside Minister Laurent Nunez mentioned the crew entered from exterior utilizing a cherry picker by way of the riverfront facade to succeed in the corridor with the 23-item royal assortment.
The thieves smashed two show circumstances and fled on motorbikes, Nunez mentioned. Alarms introduced Louvre brokers to the room, forcing the intruders to bolt, however the theft was already accomplished.
Infographic exhibiting the outside and inside of the Louvre Museum’s Apollo Gallery, in Paris, the place thieves stole crown jewels on Oct. 19.
Marie-Amélie and Hortense
The cherry picker remained in opposition to the wall the place they entered. Officers say the thieves introduced the electrical ladder and it was later eliminated.
A basket raise utilized by thieves is seen on the Louvre museum Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025 in Paris.
AP Picture/Alexander Turnbull
What jewels have been stolen?
Thieves stole eight gadgets from two high-security show circumstances, the Ministry of Tradition confirmed on Sunday night.
They took off with items that belonged to Empress Marie-Louise, who was the spouse of French Emperor Napoleon I, and others that belonged to Empress Eugénie, the spouse of Napoleon III.
The eight objects stolen embrace:
Empress Eugénie tiara
Empress Eugenie’s diadem of pearls exhibited within the Apollo’s Galery housing the royal assortment of gems and diamonds from the French crown in Paris in France on Might 20, 2021.
MAEVA DESTOMBES/Hans Lucas/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
Empress Eugénie ornamental bow brooch
The Empress Eugenie Brooch, an vintage diamond bow brooch, sits on show throughout a media preview for the Christie’s Uncommon Jewels and Gems: The Eye of a Connoisseur sale in New York, U.S., on Friday, April 11, 2008.
Jb Reed/Bloomberg by way of Getty Photographs
Sapphire diadem, necklace and single earring from an identical set linked to Nineteenth-century French queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense
This {photograph} reveals the Parure de la reine Marie-Amelie et de la Reine Hortense (set of knickknack of Queen Marie-Amelie and Queen Hortense) displayed at Apollon’s Gallery on Jan. 14, 2020 on the Louvre museum in Paris after the reopening of the Gallery following 10 months of renovations.
STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
Emerald necklace and earrings from the matching set of Empress Marie-Louise
Necklace and earrings from the emerald set of Napoleon I’s second spouse Empress Marie Louise on show within the Apollo’s gallery housing the royal assortment of gems and diamonds of the French crown in Paris in France on Might 20, 2021.
MAEVA DESTOMBES/Hans Lucas/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
The thieves additionally took a reliquary brooch of Empress Eugénie.
Thieves tried to steal Empress Eugénie’s emerald-set imperial crown, containing greater than 1,300 diamonds, nevertheless it was later discovered exterior the museum, French authorities mentioned. It was reportedly recovered damaged.
This image reveals the crown of the Empress of the French Eugénie de Montijo displayed at Apollon’s Gallery on Jan. 14, 2020 on the Louvre museum in Paris after the reopening of the Gallery following 10 months of renovations.
STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/AFP by way of Getty Photographs
What police have found up to now
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Forensic groups are inspecting the positioning of the crime and adjoining entry factors whereas a full stock is taken, authorities mentioned. Officers have described the haul as of “inestimable” historic worth.
No accidents have been reported following the theft however the thieves remained at massive as of Sunday evening.
In accordance with French media, there have been 4 perpetrators: two dressed as development employees in yellow security vests on the raise, and two every on a scooter. French authorities didn’t instantly touch upon this.
Investigators are reviewing CCTV from the Denon wing and the riverfront, inspecting the cherry picker used to succeed in the gallery and interviewing workers who have been on website when the museum opened, authorities mentioned.
5 museum employees have been within the room and adjoining rooms when the theft passed off and instantly contacted police, the tradition ministry mentioned.
The Ministry of Tradition thanked its employees for calling police, which resulted within the thieves fleeing and abandoning their gear.
Tradition Minister Rachida Dati mentioned investigators are engaged on proof discovered on the scene.
“We did discover bikes and so they have a licence plate,” Dati advised news broadcaster CNews. “I additionally wish to pay tribute to the safety officers who prevented the basket raise from being set on fireplace. One of many criminals tried to set it on fireplace, however they compelled him to flee. This allowed us to recuperate proof on the scene.”
Officers mentioned the heist lasted lower than eight minutes in whole, together with lower than 4 minutes contained in the Louvre.
“They went straight to the show home windows, they knew precisely what they needed. They have been very environment friendly,” Dati mentioned.
Dati confused {that a} decade-long “Louvre New Renaissance” plan that was launched earlier this yr contains safety enhancements.
“When the Louvre Museum was designed, it was not meant to accommodate 10 million guests,” she mentioned.
The 700-million-euro plan is meant to modernize infrastructure, ease crowding and provides the Mona Lisa a devoted gallery by 2031.
When will the Louvre reopen?
The Louvre closed for the remainder of Sunday for the forensic investigation to start as police sealed gates, cleared courtyards and shut close by streets alongside the Seine.
The museum mentioned Monday that it might stay closed.
“Guests who’ve already booked tickets shall be refunded,” it mentioned in an announcement on X.
The museum’s workers requested dozens of tourists who have been queuing in entrance of the glass pyramid entrance to go away.
It at present stays unclear when the museum might reopen to the general public. The Louvre is at all times closed on Tuesdays, so the earliest it might reopen this week could be Wednesday, the BBC reports.
What French politicians are saying in regards to the theft
French President Emmanuel Macron took to social media, calling the heist an “assault on a heritage that we cherish as a result of it’s our historical past.”
“The perpetrators shall be delivered to justice,” Macron added. “All the things is being accomplished, in every single place, to realize this, below the management of the Paris prosecutor’s workplace.”
Gérald Darmanin, France’s justice minister, told France Inter radio that “the French folks, for probably the most half, really feel as if they’ve been robbed.”
“In the identical method that when Notre-Dame burned, it was our church that was burning — even if you happen to weren’t Catholic — such an unimaginable jewellery theft on the Louvre seems to be unhealthy,” Darmania added.
Darmanin additionally acknowledged safety failures on Monday.
“One can surprise about the truth that, for instance, the home windows hadn’t been secured, about the truth that a basket raise was on a public street,” he mentioned. “Having (beforehand) been inside minister, I do know that we can not utterly safe all locations, however what is definite is that we’ve got failed.”
Inside Minister Nunez ordered prefects throughout France to right away reassess safety measures defending museums and different cultural websites and improve them if essential.
— With information from The Related Press
