“Priceless” historical jewels were stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris, after a well-organized operation that lasted just seven minutes. The target was the Apollo Gallery, which houses jewels from France’s royal and imperial collections.
The perpetrators broke into two display cases and, in seven minutes, stole eight pieces of “incalculable value,” including a tiara, earrings with precious stones, an elaborate brooch/bow, and a sapphire set, objects associated with the figures of Marie-Amelia, Marie-Louise, and Hortense. A ninth object, the crown of Empress Eugenie, was apparently attempted to be taken but abandoned during the escape, and was thus located and recovered outside the museum. Notably, the display case housing the historic Le R?gent diamond was not damaged.
The robbery took place on Sunday, October 19, at around 9:30 a.m., shortly after the museum opened. Four assailants, dressed as technicians, took advantage of work being done on the building, using a truck with a lifting platform on the Seine side and cutting wheels to break through the window and the display cases. The alarm was activated, but the operation was completed within seven minutes and the assailants escaped on motorcycles.
Prosecutor Laure Beccuau confirmed that this was a highly organized hit, with careful preparation and the use of professional tools. The guards were threatened, but not injured, while an organized crime ring is being investigated. Video footage and DNA from the scene are being analyzed. President Emmanuel Macron condemned the incident, pledging to investigate and strengthen security.
Why the attack was successful
The perpetrators, who were aware of the layout and ongoing work, took advantage of the ongoing work, moved quickly towards a targeted display case with high symbolism (the crown jewels) and avoided emblematic exhibits that were extremely difficult to liquidate, such as Le R?gent. The lift offered immediate access to height, the wheel cut the glass in seconds and the escape on two-wheelers limited the exhibition time to a minimum. All of this adds up to a professional plan with a predetermined list of targets and surgical execution.
What we know about the suspects
Authorities are talking about four people who knew the area well, while a connection to a gang with a history of similar cases is being investigated. So far, no arrests have been made. The Louvre was closed on Sunday for forensic teams to work and to preserve evidence.
The robbery brings the issue of security back to the world’s most popular museum. Earlier this year, the Louvre’s regeneration plan was announced with interventions in infrastructure/security due to overcrowding, noise and thermal fluctuations. The incident shows that, despite the upgrades, there are weaknesses in a vast network of halls and display cases.
The next day
Security measures (CCTV, traces, telecommunications data) and a possible attempt to liquidate the items, either by dismantling the jewelry and removing stones, or through irregular trading channels, are key to the investigation. Given the recognizability of the objects and their national importance, experts consider it difficult to circulate them as they are, which increases the chances of recovery.
Historic thefts at the Louvre
Thefts from the Louvre are rare thanks to strict security measures, but they have happened. The most famous was in 1911, when Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” was stolen. The poet Guillaume Apollinaire and the painter Pablo Picasso were questioned by the police at the time, but the perpetrator ultimately turned out to be an Italian who, out of “national pride,” wanted to return the work to Italy. The painting was found three years later in Florence and returned to Paris, at that time not yet as famous as it is today.
In 1983, pieces of 16th-century armor disappeared, only to be rediscovered in 2011. More recently, in 1998, the 19th-century painting “Le Chemin de S?vres” by Camille Corot was stolen: it was simply removed from the wall without being noticed. The case led to a significant increase in security, and the work has never been found.
