Heist at the Louvre: Thieves Strike in Minutes, Steal Priceless Jewels

On Sunday, October 19, 2025, a daring heist took place at the world-renowned Louvre Museum in Paris. In just seven minutes, a group of masked thieves made off with nine priceless pieces of jewelry from the French crown jewels collection, leaving tourists stranded and the museum in shock. The thieves, who were described as "professionals," used a construction site to gain access to the Apollo Gallery, where they utilized chainsaws and an angle grinder to cut through a window and grab the valuable items. The stolen jewels, including a tiara and a brooch from Napoleon Bonaparte's collection, are considered "quite priceless" by Culture Minister Rachida Dati.

Key Takeaways:

• The heist took place on Sunday, October 19, 2025, at the Louvre Museum in Paris, with the thieves making off with nine priceless pieces of jewelry from the French crown jewels collection.
• The thieves, described as "professionals," gained access to the Apollo Gallery through a construction site and utilized chainsaws and an angle grinder to cut through a window.
• The stolen jewels include a tiara and a brooch from Napoleon Bonaparte's collection, as well as pieces belonging to Empress Eugenie.
• Two of the stolen items, including Empress Eugenie's broken crown, were later found discarded outside the museum, while the rest remain missing.
• The Paris prosecutor's office has opened an investigation into organized theft and criminal conspiracy, led by the Banditism Repression Brigade of the Judicial Police (BRB) and supported by the Central Office for Combating Trafficking in Cultural Property (OCBC).
• The Louvre Museum, which covers 73,000 square meters of exhibition space, is one of the largest and most visited museums in the world, with over 30,000 visitors per day.
• Culture Minister Rachida Dati confirmed that the loot was "quite priceless" and described the operation as carried out in "four minutes" by "professionals."
• Communist senator Ian Brossat expressed his concerns for the museum staff and hopes for the quick identification and conviction of the perpetrators.

Statistics:

• 7 minutes: the time it took for the thieves to steal the priceless jewels
• 9: 30 a.m.: the time when the thieves gained access to the Apollo Gallery
• 73,000 square meters: the exhibition space covered by the Louvre Museum
• 35,000: the number of artworks housed at the Louvre Museum
• 30,000: the number of visitors to the Louvre Museum per day
• 2: the number of stolen items that have been recovered, including Empress Eugenie's broken crown
• 7: the number of thieves involved in the heist

Sources:

• Le Parisien report
• HT Digital Content Services
• Hindustan Times
• Interior Minister Laurent Nunez's statement
• Culture Minister Rachida Dati's statement
• Communist senator Ian Brossat's statement