Paris was shocked on a sunny Sunday morning when a group of robbers armed with chainsaws targeted The Louvre Museum and stole nine pieces of valuable jewelry from the Napoleon era in just four minutes. This audacious daylight robbery, carried out at one of the world’s busiest museums, caught authorities off-guard.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez referred to the incident as a “major robbery” and emphasized the priceless value of the stolen jewels. The thieves utilized a basket lift to access the museum’s windows and used a disc cutter to break into the Apollo Gallery, where the French Crown Jewels are housed.
The robbery took place around 9:30 am local time while the museum was already open to the public. The perpetrators swiftly fled on motorcycles after completing the heist. French Culture Minister Rachida Dati remarked that the speed and efficiency of the operation indicated that the thieves were professionals.
As a result of the robbery, The Louvre, known for housing the iconic Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, remained closed for the day due to “exceptional reasons.” One of the stolen pieces, believed to belong to Empress Eugenie, was found outside the museum, likely dropped by the fleeing robbers.
Security concerns were raised following this incident, as The Louvre has a history of being targeted by thieves. Notably, in 1911, the Mona Lisa was stolen by a former museum employee and later recovered in Florence, Italy. The museum, which welcomed 8.7 million visitors in 2024, had previously highlighted inadequate investment in security measures.
The Louvre boasts a vast collection of over 33,000 works spanning various historical periods and artistic styles. Popular attractions include the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory of Samothrace, drawing up to 30,000 visitors daily.