On the morning of the 19th (local time), four assailants rode a ladder truck into the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, and fled after stealing jewelry.
According to the BBC, the perpetrators entered the museum at about 9:30 a.m., 30 minutes after opening time, and stole jewelry from the "Apollo Gallery," where French royal jewels are displayed.
According to Paris Prosecutor Laure Beccuau, they stole nine pieces of jewelry, one of which was recovered near the scene. The piece they dropped was the crown of Empress Eugénie, wife of Emperor Napoleon III. It was reportedly already broken when found. According to the Louvre Museum website, the crown is adorned with 1,354 diamonds and 56 emeralds.
The French culture ministry said the remaining eight pieces are also priceless cultural heritage. They reportedly include an emerald and diamond necklace Napoleon I gave to Empress Marie Louise, Empress Eugénie's crown and brooch, and sapphire necklaces related to Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense from the 18th century. However, the 140-carat Régent diamond, the most famous exhibit in the Apollo Gallery, was not among the stolen items.
According to Prosecutor Beccuau, they set the ladder truck against the outer wall facing the Seine and entered the museum. After the crime, they fled on electric scooters. The perpetrators reportedly used an electric cutter. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez earlier told French media the crime took just seven minutes, while Culture Minister Rachida Dati said it took four minutes.
The heist occurred just 800 meters from the Paris police prefecture and during opening hours, likely fueling intense debate over lax security.
Jordan Bardella, leader of the far-right National Rally (RN), wrote on X (formerly Twitter), "The Louvre is a global symbol of our culture, and this incident is an intolerable insult to our country," adding, "How far has the state's decay gone?" He directed his criticism at the Emmanuel Macron administration.
The museum was closed for the day. Because the incident occurred after the museum opened, visitors who had already entered had to leave. Unaware tourists continued to flock to the museum, causing congestion inside and outside.