In a brazen scene worthy of a Hollywood script, four masked thieves staged a daylight robbery at the Louvre Museum in Paris, escaping with priceless royal jewels once worn by French queens and empresses.
Armed with power tools and aided by a crane lift, the group struck just after 9:30am on Sunday, moments after the museum opened its doors. According to officials, the thieves used a disc cutter to smash their way into the Galerie d’Apollon, one of the Louvre’s most treasured exhibition halls.
Once inside, they shattered glass display cases, threatened security guards and made off with rare jewels from France’s royal collections, as per NBC News. Among the missing pieces are a necklace and earrings from the Marie-Louise collection, a tiara and earrings belonging to Queen Marie-Amelie and Queen Hortense, and several items from Empress Eugenie’s collection, including a brooch, bodice bow and another tiara.
Their getaway, however, didn’t go entirely as planned. Investigators later recovered two pieces, including Empress Eugenie’s crown, which appeared to have been dropped as the suspects fled the scene on scooters. Authorities believe the thieves may have scouted the museum beforehand, given their use of a crane-mounted truck and precise timing.
The Ministry of Culture described the theft as ‘rapid and brutal,’ lasting just seven minutes. Alarms were triggered both on the targeted display cabinets and the gallery window, prompting five museum employees nearby to alert the police immediately. Their swift action is believed to have forced the culprits to flee earlier than planned, leaving behind stolen items and even their tools.
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Before escaping, the thieves reportedly tried to set fire to the crane lift to destroy evidence, but a museum worker intervened to stop them. No injuries were reported during the chaos.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez commended the museum staff and confirmed that an investigation into organised theft and criminal conspiracy is underway. The Louvre was evacuated and closed for the rest of the day to allow forensic teams to gather evidence.
Authorities remain confident that arrests will be made soon. ‘I expect we will very soon find the thieves and jewels,’ Nunez said.
The Louvre’s Galerie d’Apollon, home to France’s crown jewels and historic treasures, now finds itself at the centre of one of Europe’s most audacious art heists in recent memory.
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Picture: Kiran Ridley / Gallo Images
