Caught on camera: Louvre Museum thieves cut glass during daylight heist

The Louvre Museum in Paris was forced to close for second day after thieves stole eight royal artefacts in broad daylight. Security footage shows three men fleeing with priceless jewels, including items belonging to Napoleon and Empress Eugenie, in under 10 minutes.

Security cameras captured one of the suspects, dressed in construction gear, cutting through a glass display case while visitors walked nearby. The thieves reportedly used a basket lift to reach the museum’s facade, forced a window, smashed display cases, and escaped on a motorcycle.

The stolen items included nine historic jewels from France’s crown jewels collection. The museum said the theft occurred approximately 30 minutes after opening, making it one of the most audacious and high-profile museum robberies in recent history.

The thieves targeted the Galerie d'Apollon (Apollo’s Gallery), focusing on two cases containing 19th-century jewellery once owned by French royalty. Stolen items include diadems, necklaces, earrings, and brooches.

The Ministry of Culture confirmed that the items include:

All pieces contain thousands of diamonds and other precious gems, making them unsellable due to their uniqueness.

The Louvre remained closed on Monday as authorities investigated the heist. A team of 60 investigators is working on the theory that an organised crime group carried out the theft.

One of the stolen pieces—a crown with over 1,000 diamonds—was dropped in the streets of Paris during the thieves’ escape. The heist lasted just seven minutes, reigniting concerns over security at French museums.

Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin admitted security flaws:

“What is certain is that we have failed, since people were able to park a furniture hoist in the middle of Paris, get people up it in several minutes to grab priceless jewels, giving France a terrible image.”

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez has ordered stronger protection measures for cultural sites. A report by France’s Court of Auditors highlighted a persistent delay in security upgrades, noting that only a fourth of one museum wing is covered by surveillance cameras.

The thieves arrived around 9:30 am, shortly after the museum opened at 9:00 am. They parked a truck with an extendable ladder below Apollo Gallery, climbed up, and used cutting equipment to break into the display cases.

The Louvre, home to treasures like the Mona Lisa, may remain closed until Wednesday. Disappointed visitors had already queued at the museum’s pyramid courtyard and entrance galleries to enter.

US tourist Jesslyn Ehlers said: “We’re just kind of disappointed. We’ve been planning this for a very long time.”

Another visitor, Carol Fuchs, added: “The audacity, coming through a window. Will they ever be found? I doubt it. I think it’s long gone.”

The stolen items span two centuries of French history, once owned by queens and empresses. Empress Eugenie’s tiara and crown were crafted by Alexandre-Gabriel Lemonnier after her 1853 marriage to Napoleon III. The sapphire set belonged to Queen Marie Amelie and Queen Hortense, while emerald pieces were a gift from Napoleon I to Empress Marie Louise.

These jewels are considered works of art, combining diamonds, pearls, and precious stones. Empress Eugenie’s tiara features nearly 2,000 diamonds and over 200 pearls, while the sapphire necklace includes eight stones and 631 diamonds.

Most items were added to the Louvre in the past four decades. The emerald set arrived in 2004, Marie Amelie’s sapphire necklace in 1985, and Empress Eugenie’s tiara and corsage bow in 1992 and 2008.

The Ministry of Culture has declared the jewels priceless heritage, making resale virtually impossible due to their identifiable nature.

Experts warn that the jewels could be stripped down and remounted, destroying historical value. Vincent Meylan, jewellery historian, said:

“If we don’t find these jewels very quickly, they will disappear for sure. We risk losing pieces of France’s history.”