A team of “experienced” thieves executed a brazen, high-tech robbery at the Louvre Museum on Sunday morning, making off with a significant haul of French royal jewels during a lightning-fast, seven-minute operation. The daring heist, which involved a crane, power tools, and a dramatic escape, forced the iconic museum to close for the day as police launched an investigation.
The robbery unfolded around 9:30 a.m. local time as the museum was preparing to open, French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez told France Inter radio. Four masked thieves, described as “experienced,” used a crane lift mounted on a truck to gain access to the secure Galerie d’Apollon through a window.
Once inside, the group used power tools, specifically a disc cutter, to shatter the high-security glass display cabinets housing the priceless collection. According to the Ministry of Culture, the robbery was “particularly rapid and brutal.”
Five museum workers were in the vicinity and immediately contacted police, a response credited by the Ministry of Culture with prompting the thieves to flee hastily.
The thieves targeted two cabinets in the Galerie d’Apollon, which is home to many of France’s crown jewels and historic diamonds. The stolen items include: A necklace and a pair of earrings from the Marie-Louise collection.
A necklace, earrings, and tiara from the Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense collection.
A brooch, bodice bow, and a tiara from the collection of Empress Eugénie.
Investigators however, found clues that may aid their search, including two of the stolen pieces, suggesting the thieves lost them in their rush. Notably, Empress Eugénie’s crown was recovered near the scene.
The thieves reportedly threatened guards before fleeing on scooters, leaving their high-tech equipment behind. The prosecutor’s office stated that the crew also allegedly attempted to set fire to the crane lift they used, but a quick-thinking museum worker thwarted the attempt.
Interior Minister Nuñez was optimistic about the case. “I expect we will very soon find the thieves and jewels,” he said, noting that the museum was evacuated “mainly to preserve evidence and clues.”
The Paris public prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation into organized theft and criminal conspiracy to commit crime. Authorities believe the crew had scouted the location in advance, given the precise nature of the operation. The Louvre remained closed for the day to allow investigators to work undisturbed in the cordoned-off scene.
