The Louvre Robbery That Stunned Paris

A daring robbery has shaken the world’s most visited museum. In just seven minutes, thieves pulled off a heist, escaping with jewellery said to be priceless. Sounds like a movie plot, right? But this wasn’t fiction. It happened for real at the Louvre Museum in Paris. Police have sealed off the Louvre as they began investigating how the thieves pulled off what many are calling the biggest art thefts in recent French history.

The heist took place early Sunday, barely ten minutes after the museum opened. Police say four suspects arrived in a vehicle equipped with a mechanical lift, which they used to reach a balcony near the River Seine leading to the Gallery of Apollo. Photos from the scene show the lift raised to a first-floor window, where two men reportedly sliced through the glass with power tools. Once inside, they threatened the guards, prompting an evacuation before grabbing jewellery from two display cases. Right after the heist, the thieves jumped on two scooters and sped off toward a highway nearby. Police are now retracing their route, trying to piece together how they pulled off the getaway and where they might have gone.

According to France’s Ministry of Culture, the burglars managed to snatch eight pieces, including a mix of necklaces, earrings, and brooches, from two heavily secured display cases. Among the stolen treasures were jewels once owned by Empress Marie-Louise, wife of Napoleon I, and Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III. The stolen jewels were covered in thousands of diamonds and precious stones. Two more pieces were found close to the museum, probably dropped as the robbers fled. France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said the stolen items are beyond value and hold deep historical importance.

Originally built in the late 12th century, the Louvre served as the official residence of the kings of France for generations before eventually transforming into a public museum in 1793. The museum, home to masterpieces like Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, drew around 8.7 million visitors last year, keeping its place among the most popular cultural destinations on the planet.

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the robbery on social media, calling it an attack on the nation’s treasured heritage. He said those behind the theft would be caught and held accountable. The Louvre has a history of daring heists. In 1911, an Italian museum worker managed to steal the Mona Lisa by hiding it under his coat in a quiet gallery, back when the painting wasn’t yet widely known. It was found two years later, and the thief claimed he took it because he believed the Leonardo da Vinci work should be returned to Italy.