Louvre Shuts Down After Thieves Flee With Jewels

Four thieves broke into the Louvre on Sunday, escaping with royal jewels that had once been worn by French royalty, officials said.

Armed with a crane lift and power tools, the group threatened museum staff and smashed display cases before grabbing the valuable gems.

They fled on scooters, but not before dropping a crown during their getaway.

According to the Ministry of Culture, the stolen pieces include a pair of earrings and a necklace that belonged to Marie-Louise, a tiara, earrings, and necklace once owned by Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense, and a tiara, bow, and brooch from the Empress Eugénie collection.

Investigators have since recovered two of the missing items, including Empress Eugenie’s crown, which was recovered near the scene.

How the Incident Unfolded

The heist took place around 9:30 a.m. local time, just as the Louvre was opening its doors for the day.

Two masked individuals entered the Galerie d’Apollon through a smashed window, using power tools to force their way inside.

They had brought a crane lift, which investigators believe was used earlier to scope out the area.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the thieves used a disc cutter to break into the gallery.

The daring morning raid lasted less than ten minutes and prompted the Louvre to close for the rest of the day.

At the time of the break-in, five employees were inside the gallery. When the alarms went off, they immediately alerted police.

According to the prosecutor’s office, the thieves deliberately targeted two display cases containing priceless jewels and threatened security staff during the robbery.

The Ministry of Culture said the quick actions of museum staff helped bring the heist to an abrupt end.

Before escaping, the suspects reportedly tried to destroy evidence by setting their crane lift on fire, but a museum employee managed to stop them.

A photo from the scene showed what looked like a furniture lift propped against a balcony, while police had cordoned off the surrounding area.

Evacuation

The Louvre was quickly evacuated after the incident to preserve evidence and allow investigators to work without being disturbed.

Nunez said he remains confident that authorities will soon track down the thieves and recover the stolen jewels.