Thieves wearing balaclavas carried out a daring heist at the renowned Louvre museum in Paris on Sunday. They utilized a crane to break into an upper-level window and successfully pilfered valuable items from the section containing the French crown jewels before making a swift escape on motorcycles, according to officials.
The burglary has sparked concerns about the museum’s security measures, with prior warnings from officials regarding insufficient funding for the iconic site, which is famous for housing masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa and attracting 8.7 million visitors in 2024.
French President Emmanuel Macron denounced the theft, labeling it an assault on the cherished heritage of the nation. He vowed to retrieve the stolen works and bring the culprits to justice.
The robbers struck around 9:30 a.m. local time while the museum was open to the public, gaining access to the Galerie d’Apollon wing. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau revealed that the perpetrators, armed with angle grinders, menaced the guards during the six to seven-minute heist despite being unarmed.
A total of nine objects were targeted, with eight successfully stolen, including the valuable crown of Napoleon III’s wife, Empress Eugénie. Although the missing items are of immense worth, such as the crown worth millions of euros, the Drouot auction house president highlighted that the stolen crown might not be the most significant piece.
Notably, the Regent diamond, valued at over $60 million US, was left untouched by the thieves, a decision that puzzled investigators. One of the robbers, identified by a yellow reflective vest, attempted to set fire to the crane as they fled but failed in their endeavor.
The investigation into the heist has been assigned to a specialized police unit known for its success in resolving high-profile theft cases, as confirmed by Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. The possibility of organized crime involvement is being explored, with scenarios ranging from commissioned thefts for collectors to schemes focused solely on acquiring valuable jewels and metals for illicit purposes. Foreign interference is not considered a primary theory.
Amid the ongoing probe, the Louvre museum announced its closure for the day due to “exceptional reasons.” Visitors, like Joan and Jim Carpenter from California, were evacuated from galleries, including the Mona Lisa section, amidst the unfolding events.
The Louvre’s history includes the notorious theft of the Mona Lisa in 1911, a daring heist that was eventually solved, leading to the return of the painting to the museum two years later. Recent calls for urgent government assistance to bolster security and revamp exhibition spaces at the aging Louvre underline the persistent challenges faced by cultural institutions in safeguarding their treasures.
Reflecting on the incident, Culture Minister Rachida Dati emphasized the evolving threats faced by museums, stressing the need for enhanced security measures to combat modern forms of crime, particularly organized crime activities.