Paris, Oct 19: The Louvre Museum in Paris was forced to close on Sunday after robbers carried out a daring theft, escaping with a set of jewels believed to belong to the collection of Napoleon and the Empress, French media reported.
France’s culture minister, Rachida Dati, confirmed the incident in a post on X, saying, “A robbery took place this morning at the opening of the Louvre Museum.” She added that she was at the site and that a police investigation was in progress.
The museum announced its closure “for exceptional reasons” without offering details on the theft. Authorities said no injuries were reported.
According to Le Parisien, the robbers entered the museum through the Seine-facing facade, an area currently under construction. Using a freight elevator, they reportedly reached the Apollo Gallery — home to the French Crown Jewels — where they broke windows and fled with “nine pieces from the jewellery collection of Napoleon and the Empress.”
Investigators were seen inspecting the gallery as security officials reviewed surveillance footage. Police have not yet revealed the estimated value of the stolen items or identified suspects.
The Apollo Gallery, known for its ornate ceiling and royal treasures, showcases some of France’s most prized artefacts. The reported loss marks one of the most significant thefts at the Louvre in recent decades.
The museum, which draws up to 30,000 visitors a day, has faced high-profile thefts in the past. In 1911, the Mona Lisa vanished after being stolen by a former museum employee, Vincenzo Peruggia, who hid inside overnight and walked out with the painting. It was found two years later in Florence.
Another major theft occurred in 1983 when two Renaissance-era suits of armour were stolen and recovered nearly forty years later.
Home to more than 33,000 works — from Mesopotamian relics and Egyptian artefacts to masterpieces like the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Winged Victory of Samothrace — the Louvre’s vast collection also includes items taken during the Napoleonic wars, some of which remain subjects of restitution debates today.
As the investigation unfolds, the theft has reignited questions about the museum’s security measures. For now, authorities have sealed the affected wing while forensic teams gather evidence. “We are doing everything to recover the stolen pieces,” Dati said, calling the theft “an attack on France’s heritage.”
