Masked thieves took less than 10 minutes to steal eight irreplaceable jewels from two display cases in the museum's Apollo Gallery.
Police in France continue to investigate a crime that has shaken the country to its core. Namely, the theft of more than six crown jewels from the famous Louvre Museum, which was committed in broad daylight.
Described as «swift and brutal» in an official statement from the French Ministry of Culture, the robbery, which reportedly lasted less than 10 minutes. It happened on Sunday around 9:30 a.m. Paris time.
The thieves used a monte-meubles (a truck with a hydraulic lift most often used to transport furniture) parked outside to get up to the second floor. They then used power tools to cut a window and climb up to the Apollo Gallery.
The gallery houses the Royal Collection of Precious Stones as well as the Crown Jewels.
According to the Ministry of Culture, the masked thieves were after two «high-security» showcases. They made off with a total of eight pieces of jewellery described as «priceless cultural heritage objects».
They are:
A tiara worn by Queen Marie Amélie and Queen Hortense.
A necklace from a set of sapphire jewellery worn by Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense.
A pair of earrings from the sapphire suite of Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense.
An emerald necklace worn by Marie-Louise, who was the second wife of Napoleon I.
A pair of emerald earrings worn by Marie-Louise.
A reliquary brooch belonging to Empress Eugenia, wife of Napoleon III, known as Louis Napoleon Bonaparte.
The tiara of Empress Eugenia.
A large bow-shaped brooch worn by Empress Eugenia.
As they ran out, the perpetrators left behind their equipment and a piece of jewelry. Empress Eugenia's crown - before fleeing on motorbikes.
The ministry also said that the thieves activated the alarms on the exterior windows of the gallery and both showcases. Thus pushing the five museum employees who were present to do what they had been trained to do. That is to call the police and remove visitors from the area.
There were no injuries to either staff or the public.
The ministry said one of the burglars tried to set fire to the truck used in the break-in. But a Louvre security officer stopped them and the offender fled with the others. France's Robbery Suppression Brigade is handling the investigation into the robbery.
There were no updates on the case as of Monday's publication time.
«The theft committed at the Louvre is an attack on a heritage we love because it is our history.» French President Emmanuel Macron wrote on Sunday on X.
«We will recover the works and the perpetrators will be brought to justice. Everything is being done, everywhere, to achieve this, under the leadership of the Paris prosecutor's office.».
In a statement from her office, French Culture Minister Rashida Dati pointed out that the «Louvre - New Renaissance», the museum's renovation and modernization project announced by Macron in January, also includes a new security master plan.
It provides for the installation of new generation cameras, perimeter detection and a new security headquarters for the Louvre, which is arguably the most famous museum in the world.
The museum remained closed on Monday and visitors who had tickets will receive a refund, according to a message shared on Stories on the Louvre's official Instagram account.
The Louvre will be closed on Tuesday, the one day of the week that it is not open.
Source: nationaljeweler.com
