Serious questions are being raised about the security of the Louvre Museum after the theft of the eight “priceless” French Crown Jewels on Sunday morning. Police have launched a manhunt for the four robbers, who armed with power tools carried out a highly professional raid at the world’s busiest museum before escaping on a scooter, but so far nothing has been found.

According to France’s new interior minister, Laurent Nounier, the gang that broke into the “Gallery of Apollo” acted very professionally. They knew what they wanted, they had obviously ‘planned their escape’ in advance, they had an incredibly simple yet effective modus operandi and it took them no more than seven minutes to grab their prey and escape.

Using a truck equipped with a lift platform, like those used by moving companies, they parked on the street outside the museum, climbed to the first floor and then chainsawed the bars from the windows and entered the Gallery where they stole the jewelry.

In his announcement, the Ministry of Culture reported that the alarms went off properly once the robbers took the jewelry. Five museum staff members who were in the gallery or nearby followed protocol, communicating with building security and protecting visitors. He added that the gang tried to set fire to their vehicle outside, but were prevented from doing so after the intervention of a museum employee.

Louvre

The brooch, known as the “reliquary brooch” of Empress Eugenia

OR Culture Minister Rashida Dati told French news agency TF1 that video released at the time of the theft shows the masked robbers entering “calmly” and smashing the display cases containing the jewelry. No one was injured, with Dati insisting there was “no violence, it was very professional”. He described the thieves as apparently “experienced” and with a well-prepared plan to escape on two scooters.

The robbery took place in a gallery within walking distance of the room where the famous Mona Lisa painting is located.

However, the gangs that organize robberies like this are not targeting world-famous paintings that can never be exhibited or sold. They prefer items that can be turned into cash – and jewelry is at the top of the list.

As great as their historical and cultural value is, crowns and diadems can easily be removed and sold for pieces. Even large and famous diamonds can be cut. The final sale price may not be the value of the original artifact, but it is still significant.

Details of what was stolen

According to authorities, eight items were stolen, including diadems, necklaces, earrings and pins. All date from the 19th century and once belonged to French kings or imperial rulers.

France’s culture ministry said the stolen items were:

– A tiara and brooch belonging to Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III
– An emerald necklace and a pair of emerald earrings by Empress Marie Louise
– A tiara, necklace and earring from the sapphire set that belonged to Queen Marie-Amelie and Queen Hortense
– A pin known as a “reliquary pin”

These pieces are decorated with thousands of diamonds and other precious stones.

Louvre

Empress Marie Louise’s emerald necklace

Two more items, including Empress Eugenia’s crown, were found near the site and were apparently dropped by the robbers during their escape. Authorities are examining them for any damage.

Nounieh called the stolen jewels “priceless” and of “incalculable cultural value”.

Louvre

Empress Eugenia’s tiara

Similar thefts in the past

The Louvre contains thousands of works of art that are famous around the world, as well as an equal number of lesser-known objects that nevertheless have cultural significance.

But in its 230-year history there have been relatively few thefts – largely thanks to the tight security measures in place.

The most recent disappearance involved 19th-century artist Camille Corot’s Le Chemin de Sèvres (The Road to Sèvres), which was simply removed from the wall in 1998 and has not been located since.

But the most famous theft by far was the one that took place in 1911, when Leonardo da Vinci’s Gioconda, better known as the Mona Lisa, was stolen. The perpetrator then hid in a closet overnight, then managed to remove the painting from its frame, wrap it in his dress, tuck it under his arm and flee. It later turned out that he was an Italian nationalist who wanted to return the artwork to his homeland. Found in Italy in 1914 and returned to the Louvre.

Last month, thieves broke into the Adrien Dubouche Museum in Limoges and stole porcelain works reportedly worth 9.5 million euros.

In November 2024, seven objects of “great historical and cultural value” were stolen from the Cognacq-Jay Museum in Paris. Five were located and recovered a few days ago.

In the same month, armed robbers broke into the Hiero Museum in Burgundy, shooting before making off with millions of pounds worth of 20th-century art.