French police hunt Louvre jewel thieves

Planned and executed with military precision

The thieves struck between 9:30 and 9:40 a.m. on Sunday, just after the museum opened. Using a truck with an extendable ladder, they accessed the Apollo Gallery, which houses France’s royal collection. With cutting tools, they broke through a window and display cases, stealing jewels including Empress Marie-Louise’s emerald-and-diamond necklace, Empress Eugenie’s diamond diadem, and Queen Marie-Amelie’s sapphire-and-diamond necklace.

The entire operation lasted just seven minutes, before museum staff intervened, forcing the culprits to flee and abandon some equipment.

Priceless royal treasures lost

The stolen pieces—dating to the 19th century—are considered irreplaceable. One crown, belonging to Empress Eugenie, was reportedly dropped and damaged during the escape. The jewels, encrusted with thousands of diamonds, emeralds, and sapphires, are impossible to resell in their current form, according to auction house experts.

Officials admit security failures

French officials acknowledged serious lapses in museum security. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin described the incident as “a failure,” criticizing how thieves were able to “park a furniture hoist in central Paris and steal priceless jewels in minutes.” Interior Minister Laurent Nunez admitted that museum protection remains a “major weak spot.”

A national humiliation and political outcry

The heist—the Louvre’s first since 1998—has reignited a national debate on security standards in France’s museums, following other recent robberies in Paris and Limoges. Opposition politicians called it a “national humiliation,” while President Emmanuel Macron vowed that “everything is being done” to recover the treasures and bring the perpetrators to justice.