Thieves pull off heist at the Louvre, stealing jewels; museum remains closed

One of Paris’ most popular tourist attractions closed on Sunday (Oct. 19) due to a brazen daytime robbery.

The Louvre – a national art museum that's home to some of the world's most iconic works – was cleared of visitors after masked thieves wearing balaclavas broke into building using a crane to shatter an upper-floor window.

According to reports, they then stole invaluable artifacts from the section containing France’s crown jewels before fleeing the scene on motorbikes.

The heist is expected to spark questions about the Louvre’s security measures, especially after officials had previously warned about insufficient funding for the museum, which houses masterpieces like the Mona Lisa.

The Louvre, known for its striking glass and metal pyramid that marks its main entrance, drew some 8.7 million visitors in 2024.

"The theft committed at the Louvre is an attack on a heritage that we cherish because it is our History," France’s President Emmanuel Macron wrote on his social media platform X. "We will recover the works, and the perpetrators will be brought to justice."

Thieves in disguise

The break-in occurred around 9:30 a.m. local time—after the museum had already opened to visitors—when the thieves entered the Galerie d’Apollon wing, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau told French television.

The robbery, lasting between six to seven minutes, involved four unarmed individuals who intimidated security guards by brandishing angle grinders, Reuters reported.

According to French media, two of the thieves were dressed as construction workers in yellow safety vests.

The criminals aimed to steal nine items in total, successfully making off with eight of them, reports say.

The stolen items include a sapphire tiara, a sapphire necklace and a single sapphire earring worn by Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense; an emerald necklace and emerald earrings worn by Marie-Louise (Napoleon Bonaparte’s second wife); a tiara and large brooch that belonged to Empress Eugénie; and a brooch known as the “reliquary brooch.”

The ninth piece—Empress Eugénie’s crown, belonging to Napoleon III’s wife—was dropped and left behind during the getaway. This object, containing more than 1,300 diamonds, was reportedly recovered broken.

The items are said to be worth millions of Euros, but beyond their market value, “they have inestimable heritage and historical value,” reads a statement from the museum that was shared with People.

"All possible measures are being taken to recover the stolen items," the statement said.

The theft reportedly took place just 250 meters from the Mona Lisa, one of the musuem's most popular pieces.

Closed on Monday too 

The Louvre, located on the Right Bank of the Seine in Paris’ 1st arrondissement, closed for the rest of Sunday as forensic investigators combed through the scene and as police sealed gates, clearing courtyards and shutting down nearby streets. The museum has remained closed into Monday, reports say.  

Daylight robberies during public hours are rare, but The Louvre itself faces numerous thefts and attempted robberies throughout history.

Its most infamous incident occurred in 1911, when Vincenzo Peruggia stole the Mona Lisa from its frame; the painting was recovered two years later in Florence.

Another notable event took place in 1956, when a visitor threw a stone at the masterpiece, damaging the paint near her left elbow and prompting the decision to place the artwork behind protective glass.

Today, the former royal palace stands as a showcase of human civilization, home to treasures such as Leonardo’s Mona Lisa, the graceful Venus de Milo, the Winged Victory of Samothrace poised on the Daru staircase, the Code of Hammurabi’s engraved laws, Delacroix’s Liberty Leading the People, and Géricault’s The Raft of the Medusa.

From the ancient worlds of Mesopotamia and Egypt to Europe’s great masters, the works attract as many as 30,000 visitors each day.

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