The French Ministry of Culture announced on Sunday that a brazen jewelry theft had taken place at the famous Louvre Museum. The incident occurred shortly after the museum opened, when visitors were already inside. Culture Minister Rachida Dati reported the robbery on the X platform and also went to the scene of the crime in person.
No one was injured and the perpetrators were unarmed.
According to Euronews, the thieves used a cherry picker to gain direct access to the room. They broke a window and, within four minutes, destroyed the display cases in the Apollo Gallery, from which they stole eight of the nine pieces of jewelry they had targeted. The room is a vaulted hall in the Denon wing, where part of the French crown jewels are displayed under a ceiling painted by King Louis XIV's court artist.
The complete inventory list of missing items is still being compiled. It has been confirmed that pieces from Napoleon's collection have disappeared, including a necklace, a tiara, a brooch, and other jewelry.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed that the perpetrators fled on two-wheeled vehicles. The police are investigating and conducting forensic analyses. According to France24, a total of around 60 investigators are working on the case.
Authorities believe that the thieves are experienced and are likely to be foreign nationals.
French President Emmanuel Macron responded to the robbery on the X platform: “The theft committed at the Louvre is an attack on a heritage that we cherish because it is our history. We will recover the works and bring the perpetrators to justice.”
Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said the robbery had cast France in a very negative light, as it suggested a failure on the part of the security services.
“There are many museums in Paris, many museums in France, and these museums contain priceless treasures,” he told French radio station France Inter. “What is certain is that we have failed,” he added, but expressed confidence that the police would eventually arrest the perpetrators.
Police also checked the security of the famous Regent Diamond, which is located in the same gallery where the thieves struck. However, the gem remained intact. According to the auction house Sotheby's, the Regent Diamond is estimated to be worth more than €51 million.
The Louvre was closed on Sunday for “exceptional reasons.” One of the stolen items, Empress Eugénie's imperial crown with emeralds and more than 1,300 diamonds, was later found damaged outside the museum.
The authorities assessed the historical value of the stolen items as “inestimable.”
The Louvre is the most visited museum in the world and one of the most famous. With its exhibition space, it is the third largest museum in the world.
(reuters, max)