French authorities continued their search Monday for the thieves behind a brazen daylight heist at the Louvre Museum, where eight priceless items from the Napoleon jewelry collection were stolen in just seven minutes. Despite pledges to apprehend the experienced and well-coordinated gang, no arrests had been made as of Monday afternoon. Experts warned that the stolen artifacts — including a crown encrusted with nearly 2,000 diamonds — may already have been dismantled or melted down to erase any trace.
The theft, which local media have dubbed “the heist of the century,” was carried out by four masked individuals, two of whom wore yellow vests to pose as construction workers. At around 9:30 a.m., just 30 minutes after the museum opened to visitors, the gang used a crane attached to a freight elevator parked along the Seine River to reach a second-floor window leading into the Apollo Gallery.
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Crown of Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III, and the necklace of Empress Marie Louise, wife of Napoleon Bonaparte; these two jewels were stolen along with six others
(Photo: Louvre Museum)
Napoleon Jewelry Collection: The gallery that was robbed at the Louvre, archive footage
(Video: Reuters)
Using a power saw, they cut open the external window and, according to reports, threatened guards on duty, who promptly evacuated the area. The thieves smashed display cases and seized nine pieces of jewelry before escaping on motorcycles once the museum’s alarm was triggered.
They reportedly attempted to set the freight lift ablaze to destroy evidence, but Louvre security — which had by then intervened — prevented the fire and recovered the tools left behind.
The thieves stole a total of eight historic pieces from the Louvre’s Napoleon jewelry collection. Among the stolen items was a diamond and emerald necklace gifted by Napoleon Bonaparte to his wife, Empress Marie Louise. They also took a diamond-encrusted diadem belonging to Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III, featuring nearly 2,000 diamonds. Another item taken was a necklace worn by Maria Amalia, the last queen of France, adorned with eight sapphires and 631 diamonds.
The collection’s most valuable item — a 140-carat diamond estimated at $60 million — was left untouched. A ninth piece, another crown belonging to Empress Eugénie, was recovered broken outside the museum shortly after the robbery.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said the stolen items were of "priceless" cultural and historical value. A team of 60 investigators is working the case, but authorities fear that by the time the perpetrators are found, the jewels may have already been melted down or broken apart.
Chris Marinello, head of Art Recovery International, told the BBC the first 24 to 48 hours after a theft are crucial. “The thieves are not going to keep them intact,” he warned. “They are going to break them up, melt down the valuable metal, recut the valuable stones and hide evidence of their crime. Authorities may catch the criminals but they won't recover the jewels.”
While the AFP reported the heist lasted seven minutes, French Culture Minister Rachida Dati described it as a “four-minute operation.” She called it “highly professional,” noting that the thieves broke display cases calmly and without violence, having planned their escape route in detail. Panic erupted during the robbery. “Everyone inside was running and banging on the glass doors to get out, but couldn’t open them,” said Cassie, a visitor at the time. Witnesses reported seeing police sprinting near the Louvre’s iconic glass pyramid.
The museum remained closed for a second consecutive day as forensic teams continued their work and police shut down surrounding streets. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin pledged the culprits would eventually be caught but acknowledged the embarrassing lapse in security: “What is certain is that we have failed,” he told a French radio station. He also pointed out that the thieves had parked their freight lift truck in broad daylight on a public street: “It gave France a terrible image around the world,” he said.
Despite recent security upgrades at the Louvre, staff have long warned of insufficient personnel and overcrowding. In June, the museum’s opening was delayed due to staff protests over staffing shortages and visitor volume.
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Another crown belonging to Empress Eugénie; stolen, but later found broken outside the museum
(Photo: STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP)
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Necklace worn by France’s last queen, Maria Amalia, also stolen
(Photo: Louvre Museum)
The brazen theft at the Louvre has ignited a wave of national embarrassment in France and intensified scrutiny over museum security. While world-famous pieces like the Mona Lisa are protected by reinforced glass — just 250 meters from the scene of the heist — experts and the public alike were stunned that such a breach could occur in broad daylight.
“How can they climb through a window and steal diamonds in the middle of the day?” asked Magali Connel, a teacher from Lyon. “It’s unbelievable that a museum so renowned could have such glaring security gaps.”
The incident has also fueled political backlash. Jordan Bardella, leader of the far-right National Rally and deputy to Marine Le Pen, criticized President Emmanuel Macron amid growing political instability and the recent resignations of several prime ministers. “The Louvre is a global symbol of our culture,” Bardella posted on X. “This is an unimaginable humiliation for our country. How far will France’s decline go?” The criticism comes as Macron pushes forward a €700 million renovation plan for the Louvre, aimed at easing overcrowding and giving the Mona Lisa a dedicated gallery space by 2031.
Meanwhile, our reporter Zeev Avrahami reveals that, amid the investigation, authorities enlisted the help of several private firms, including Israel’s CGI Group, led by former Shin Bet chief Yaakov Peri. The company rose to international prominence in 2019 after assisting in the recovery of €113 million worth of jewels stolen from the Green Vault museum in Dresden.
“We usually don’t comment on our clients,” said CGI CEO Tzvika Neveh, “but due to our success in the Dresden case, we were asked by the Louvre to help identify the perpetrators and try to recover the stolen treasures. Our work is conducted under legal guidance in every country to ensure compliance with local laws.”
The Louvre remains the most-visited museum in the world, welcoming up to 30,000 people daily and about 9 million annually — mostly foreign tourists. Housing over 33,000 artifacts, the museum has a long history of high-profile thefts. The most famous occurred in 1911, when a former employee, Vincenzo Peruggia, stole the Mona Lisa by hiding overnight and walking out with the painting tucked under his coat. It was recovered two years later in Florence, and the sensational theft helped turn Leonardo da Vinci’s portrait into the world’s most iconic artwork. In 1983, two pieces of Renaissance armor were stolen from the Louvre and only recovered nearly four decades later.
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The Mona Lisa, the famous painting located 250 meters from the room where the thieves broke in
The latest robbery follows several recent museum thefts across France. In September, gold items worth €600,000 were stolen from the National Museum of Natural History in Paris. A separate incident last month in Limoges resulted in losses and damage totaling €6.5 million. All have raised fresh alarms about museum security nationwide.