The Louvre was the subject of a real-life diamond heist, as authorities are scrambling to catch the culprits before they get away with some priceless artefacts.
The Paris institution, which typically welcomes around 30,000 visitors a day, was forced to close its doors after a break-in that lasted less than ten minutes - but left a lasting impact on France’s cultural heritage.
Experts are now saying there is a time limit for police to catch the robbers, otherwise the jewels may never be seen again.
Masked Thieves Raid French Crown Jewels
At approximately 9:30AM local time on Sunday, thieves entered the Louvre through a side entrance near the River Seine, where construction work had created a potential vulnerability, per BBC News.
According to French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, the gang used a platform mounted on a truck to access a basket lift, broke a window with a disc cutter, and made their way directly to the Galerie d’Apollon - home to France’s priceless Crown Jewels.
The intruders, described as hooded and carrying small chainsaws, broke into display cases and fled on Yamaha TMAX scooters.
One of the criminals stood lookout outside while two or three others carried out the operation inside. Remarkably, the entire heist was completed in just seven minutes.
The thieves used a ladder to break into a window. Credit: Remon Haazen / Getty
Items Stolen: A Devastating Cultural Loss
The French culture ministry confirmed eight “priceless” objects were stolen, while a ninth was recovered—damaged—outside the museum. These items, part of the Napoleon and French Sovereigns display cases, included:
- Tiara from the set of Queen Marie-Amelie and Queen Hortense
- Necklace from the sapphire set of Queen Marie-Amelie and Queen Hortense
- Earring from the sapphire set of Queen Marie-Amelie and Queen Hortense
- Emerald necklace from the Empress Marie Louise set
- Pair of emerald earrings from the Empress Marie Louise set
- Brooch known as the “reliquary brooch”
- Tiara of Empress Eugénie
- Large corsage bow brooch of Empress Eugénie
The damaged item left behind was confirmed to be the crown of Napoleon III’s wife, Empress Eugénie.
Though the museum houses the legendary 140-carat Regent diamond - one of the most valuable diamonds in the world - it was not taken during the heist, according to Forbes.
The Empress Eugenie tiara was one of the jewels stolen. Credit: Louvre
'Theft of the Decade': Art Detective Warns of Race Against Time
Renowned art detective Arthur Brand has called the robbery “the theft of the decade,” stressing the urgency of recovering the stolen artifacts before they are dismantled.
“These crown jewels are so famous, you just cannot sell them,” Brand told Sky News.
“The only thing they can do is melt the silver and gold down, dismantle the diamonds, try to cut them.
That’s the way they will probably disappear forever.”
Brand emphasized the critical timeframe: “They [the police] have a week. If they catch the thieves, the stuff might still be there.
"If it takes longer, the loot is probably gone and dismantled. It’s a race against time.”
The tiara (top), necklace (middle) and one earring were taken from the Queen Marie Amelie sapphire set. Credit: Louvre
Authorities Respond: Museum Closed, Investigation Intensifies
The Louvre announced the closure on social media: “The Musée du Louvre will remain closed today for exceptional reasons.”
France’s Culture Minister Rachida Dati confirmed the robbery and added, “I am on site alongside the museum teams and the police. Investigations under way.”
In a statement to TF1, Dati described the heist as highly calculated: “No violence, very professional.”
She said footage showed the gang entering calmly, smashing display cases, collecting the loot, and leaving - all within four minutes.
France’s justice minister, Gérard Darmanin, admitted the robbery represents a security lapse.
“There are many museums in Paris, many museums in France, with priceless values in these museums,” he said. “What is certain is that we failed.”