Napoleon-Era Jewels Stolen In Bold Heist At Paris Louvre
The Louvre Museum in Paris was forced to shut its doors on Sunday after a daring robbery in which priceless jewels from the Napoleonic era were stolen.
According to France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, the thieves used a hydraulic ladder to access the under-renovation Seine-facing section of the museum around 9:30 am. They then cut through windowpanes with a disc cutter and made their way into the Apollo Gallery, where French Crown Jewels were displayed.
The entire robbery reportedly took just seven minutes.
French daily Le Parisien reported that the intruders escaped with nine pieces of jewellery from the “Napoleon and the Empress” collection. One of the stolen items was later recovered outside the museum. Authorities believe the group had conducted planning and reconnaissance before the heist.
The Louvre has not issued a detailed statement but cited “exceptional reasons” for its temporary closure. Barricades were set up outside the premises, and large crowds were seen waiting outside, unaware of the situation. Traffic around the iconic site was also restricted.
France’s Culture Minister Rachida Dati confirmed there were no injuries and said she was on the scene along with police and museum staff. The Paris prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation and is currently evaluating the losses.
A History of High-Profile Theft
The Louvre, the world’s most visited museum, welcomes up to 30,000 visitors daily and holds more than 33,000 artefacts, including the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.
The museum has experienced major thefts in the past. In 1911, museum employee Vincenzo Peruggia infamously walked out with the Mona Lisa hidden under his coat. The painting was recovered two years later in Florence. The last notable incident occurred in 1983, when two Renaissance armours were stolen; they were found and returned in 2021.
Authorities are now working to trace the suspects behind this latest heist, described as one of the most serious thefts at the Louvre in recent decades.
News Source : Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
