The world’s most visited museum, the Louvre, closed this Sunday (19) after a robbery in which nine jewels were stolen. The site is located in Paris, the French capital. Three masked men invaded the museum, using a service elevator attached to a large retractable staircase on the southeast side of the building, facing the Seine River.
The Louvre Museum has a collection of more than 33,000 pieces, ranging from Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and classical world antiquities to important European sculpture and painting works. Among the most sought-after highlights are the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo sculpture, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.
“A robbery occurred this morning during the opening of the Louvre Museum. There were no victims. I am on site with the museum and police teams. Investigations are ongoing,” Rachida Dati posted on social media.
The French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the stolen objects have “incalculable value.” The museum announced it would remain closed for “exceptional reasons.”
One of the vehicles used by the bandits was found abandoned. Police also found one of the jewels, identified as the Empress’s crown, broken and left outside the museum.
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Other institutions have also been targeted in recent months. In September, the National Museum of Natural History in Paris recorded the theft of native gold specimens valued at 600,000 euros. During the same period, a museum in Limoges, a reference in porcelain, suffered a robbery estimated at 6.5 million euros.
Investigation Finds Crown After Louvre Robbery: 1,354 Diamonds and 56 Emeralds
French authorities recovered the Empress Eugénia’s crown, composed of 1,354 diamonds and 56 emeralds, this Sunday (19). Investigators found the object a few hours after the robbery at the Louvre Museum in Paris. The piece is damaged, but details on the extent are not yet clear. The Louvre is world-famous and received 8.7 million visitors in 2024.
Named Crown Jeweler by Napoleon III, Alexandre-Gabriel Lemonnier was responsible for creating the crown in 1855. It was first exhibited at the Paris Universal Exposition. At the time, the emperor was trying to reaffirm France’s prestige among European powers.
In 1988, the crown entered the French public collection, with collector Roberto Polo participating in the acquisition. The robbery that damaged the crown lasted about seven minutes, according to Paris police.
The Louvre Museum has a collection of more than 33,000 pieces, spanning Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and classical world antiquities. It houses European painting and sculpture works. Among the most sought-after highlights are the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo sculpture, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.
How Did the Heist Go Down?
Thieves invaded the Louvre Museum in the French capital. They used a crane and broke a window on the upper floor. They then fled on motorcycles, the French government reported. The thieves launched the attack around 9:30 a.m. (local time). The museum had already opened its doors to the public. The criminals entered the Galerie d’Apollon building, the Interior Ministry said in a statement. The robbery lasted about four minutes, Culture Minister Rachida Dati told TF1, and was carried out by professionals.
“We saw some images: they don’t target people, they enter calmly in four minutes, break the display cases, grab the items, and leave. No violence, very professional,” she told TF1.
The minister reported that a piece of jewelry was recovered outside the museum, apparently having fallen during the escape. Dati refused to say what the item was, but the newspaper Le Parisien reported it was believed to be the crown of Napoleon III’s wife, Empress Eugénie. The jewel was broken, the newspaper said.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez told France Inter that three or four thieves entered the museum from the outside using a crane positioned on a truck. “They broke a window, entered the display cases, and stole the jewels… which have real and incalculable historical value,” Nunez said.
Source: brasil247.com