Bold theft hits historic gallery
The Louvre in Paris – the world’s most visited museum – was forced to close its doors on Sunday after thieves pulled off a daring early-morning heist, stealing royal jewellery from the Galerie d’Apollon, home to France’s priceless crown collection.
Culture minister Rachida Dati confirmed the robbery on X, saying no one was injured and that police had launched an immediate investigation.
The Interior Ministry said the value of the missing items was still being assessed but warned they carried “inestimable heritage and historical value.”
According to French media reports, the robbers arrived on scooters, broke a window, and entered the museum at around 9.30am, using small chainsaws and a goods lift to access the gallery.
Napoleon jewels among stolen items
Local newspaper Le Parisien reported that nine pieces from the jewellery collections of Napoleon Bonaparte and Empress Josephine were among those taken. The Louvre has not yet confirmed details of the missing artefacts, which are part of a display celebrating France’s royal and imperial history.
The museum later announced on social media that it would remain closed “for exceptional reasons” while police investigators examined the scene.
Security teams were seen cordoning off the area around the Seine-side entrance, as forensic officers inspected the damaged window and gallery entrance.
Rare breach in high-security site
Confirmed thefts from inside the Louvre are extremely rare. The last reported incident occurred in 1998, when a small landscape painting was taken. The museum’s most infamous robbery took place in 1911, when Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa was stolen by a handyman and recovered two years later.
During the Second World War, staff famously hid many of the Louvre’s treasures from Nazi looters – a reminder of how seriously France guards its cultural heritage.
Sunday’s heist, however, has raised new questions about museum security and the protection of irreplaceable artefacts.
