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Louvre Museum Robbery: Thieves Steal Priceless Crown Jewels in Brazen Heist

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

In a shocking and brazen robbery, thieves wielding power tools and using a powered, extendable ladder stole some of France's most priceless crown jewels from the Louvre museum in Paris, leaving authorities scrambling to recover the stolen items and apprehend the culprits. The heist, which took just seven minutes to execute, targeted the museum's "Gallerie d'Apollon" and resulted in the theft of a damaged 19th-century crown, valued at over 1 million euros, and an estimated 1,354 diamonds and 56 emeralds.

Key Takeaways:

  • The robbers used a powered, extendable ladder to gain access to the "Gallerie d'Apollon" in the Louvre museum, where they stole the crown of Empress Eugenie, valued at over 1 million euros.
  • The crown, featuring golden eagles, 1,354 diamonds, and 56 emeralds, was found broken near the museum after the robbery.
  • The thieves targeted two displays in the "Gallerie d'Apollon," which included three historical diamonds, an emerald-and-diamond necklace worn by Napoleon's wife, and other precious artifacts.
  • The museum was closed for the rest of the day, and authorities launched a manhunt to apprehend the thieves, who arrived at the scene on a scooter armed with angle grinders.
  • This is not the first time the Louvre has been targeted by thieves, with several incidents reported in recent months, including the theft of gold samples worth 600,000 euros from the Paris Natural History Museum.

Statistics:

  • The crown of Empress Eugenie features 1,354 diamonds and 56 emeralds, according to the Louvre's website.
  • The estimated value of the stolen Items is over 1 million euros.
  • The brazen robbery took place in just seven minutes, leaving authorities scrambling to recover the stolen items.
  • The Louvre museum, which is the world's most-visited museum, welcomed 9 million people last year.
  • This is not the first time the Louvre has been targeted by thieves, with several incidents reported in recent months, including the theft of gold samples worth 600,000 euros from the Paris Natural History Museum.

Sources:

  • AFP
  • The Louvre museum's website
  • Le Parisien
  • TF1 news outlet
  • The Paris prosecutor's office

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