Armed robbers on Sunday staged a daring daylight heist at the Louvre Museum in Paris, making away with priceless jewellery from the famous Apollo Gallery in just seven minutes.
According to French officials, the four-member gang arrived at the museum around 9:30 a.m., using a furniture hoist to scale the building before breaking into the gallery that houses France’s historic crown jewels.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez confirmed the attack, describing it as a “major robbery” carried out with precision.
He said, “Three of the four suspects used the hoist to access the gallery. They came equipped with power tools and clearly knew what they were after. This was not a random crime but a carefully planned operation.”
The Apollo Gallery, designed under King Louis XIV, holds several historic treasures, including the Regent, Sancy, and Hortensia diamonds, as well as an emerald and diamond necklace gifted by Napoleon to his wife, Empress Marie-Louise.
While the Louvre has not yet confirmed the exact items stolen, French daily *Le Parisien* reported that nine pieces were taken, including Empress Eugénie’s crown, which was later found damaged outside the museum.
Police sources said the robbers arrived on a scooter, armed with angle grinders, and used the lift to reach the targeted room. They cut through glass panes before fleeing with the jewels.
The museum was immediately shut down, with armed soldiers and police sealing off the surrounding streets. An investigation has been opened by the Paris prosecutor’s office, while forensic teams have begun gathering evidence at the scene.
Culture Minister Rachida Dati confirmed there were no injuries, saying, “We are working closely with security agencies to ensure the stolen items are recovered.”
The Louvre, which attracts millions of visitors each year, called the incident “exceptional” and promised to provide more details after investigations.
The robbery comes amid a string of high-profile museum thefts in France. Last month, thieves broke into the Paris Natural History Museum and stole gold samples worth €600,000 using similar tools.
The latest heist adds to the museum’s long history of dramatic thefts, including the infamous 1911 Mona Lisa disappearance that shocked the art world.
