Louvre in Paris closes after spectacular jewelry burglary rocks world’s most-visited museum
The Louvre Museum in Paris, the world’s most visited cultural institution, was forced to close on Sunday following a daring jewelry heist that took place shortly after opening hours, according to multiple sources.
Between 9:30 and 9:40 a.m., thieves broke into the Paris landmark through windows. The assailants, whose number has not yet been disclosed, reportedly arrived on scooters and used a freight elevator to access the room they were targeting.
They made off with several valuable art objects before fleeing the scene, a source close to the investigation told AFP. The exact value of the stolen pieces remains under assessment, while France’s elite anti-gang unit (BRB) has taken charge of the inquiry.
Culture Minister Rachida Dati, who rushed to the scene alongside Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, confirmed on X that the robbery occurred but said no one was injured. “I am here with the museum and police teams. Investigations are underway,” she wrote. However, the robbery underscored that insufficient security across the Louvre.
The stolen jewels are of “inestimable value,” according to French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez. Meanwhile, authorities continue to assess the total worth of the haul. The jewels were part of the Napoleon collection.
The Louvre later announced it would remain closed for the day “for exceptional reasons.” The museum welcomed nearly 9 million visitors in 2024, around 80% of them from abroad.
The incident comes amid a string of recent museum thefts across France. In mid-September, native gold specimens worth about €600,000 disappeared from the National Museum of Natural History in Paris. In another case, the porcelain museum in Limoges suffered a €6.5 million burglary the same month.
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