Louvre thieves steal priceless jewelry, escape on motorbikes in Paris
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Thieves broke into the Louvre Museum in Paris, stole priceless jewels and then fled on motorcycles, French authorities said Sunday.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez described the robbery as a “major robbery” that “lasted seven minutes.” Speaking to France Inter, he said the thieves entered from the outside “using a basket lifter” and a “disk cutter” to cut the glass panels containing the precious jewels.
“The investigation has begun and a detailed list of the stolen items is being prepared,” the ministry said in a statement. he said. “Beyond their market value, these items have invaluable heritage and historical value.”
The museum, reported on X, would remain closed for the day “for exceptional reasons” but did not immediately provide details. No injuries were reported.
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Police officers stand near the Louvre Museum pyramid after a report of a robbery on October 19, 2025 in Paris, France. (Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes)
According to the French newspaper Le Parisien, thieves entered the museum, which was under construction, from a section on the banks of the Seine River.
The crew reportedly used a freight elevator to access a room in the Apollo Gallery, which houses some of the French Crown Jewels.
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Judicial police officers arrive at the Louvre Museum following a report of a robbery in Paris, France, on October 19, 2025. (Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes)
The crew stole “nine items from the jewelry collection of Napoleon and the Empress,” including a tiara believed to have belonged to Empress Eugénie, the newspaper reported. The report stated that the crown was later found broken outside the museum.
FILE – People walk in front of the Louvre Museum on Sunday, August 31, 2025, in Paris. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, File)
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The Louvre houses more than 33,000 works, ranging from antiques, sculptures and paintings to Mesopotamian artifacts and Egyptian ruins to masterpieces by European artists. Its iconic treasures include the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and the Winged Triumph of Samothrace.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
