Thieves Steal Priceless French Crown Jewels in Daring Seven-Minute Louvre Heist

In an audacious daylight robbery, thieves stormed the Louvre Museum in Paris on Sunday, stealing priceless pieces from France’s royal collection in a seven-minute heist that has stunned the art world.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez confirmed that four suspects entered the museum through an external freight elevator attached to a truck, targeting two high-security display cases inside the Apollo Gallery, which houses the French Crown Jewels. The suspects, armed with angle grinders but no firearms, threatened guards before fleeing on motorcycles.

Among the stolen treasures were a tiara and necklace worn by Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense, an emerald necklace and earrings from Empress Marie-Louise’s collection, and several other ornate pieces. Authorities say one crown belonging to Empress Eugénie was dropped during the escape, sustaining damage but later recovered.

French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the theft as “an attack on a heritage we cherish,” vowing that the perpetrators will be caught and the jewels recovered. Paris prosecutors have launched an investigation for “aggravated theft by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy.”

Security experts believe the robbery was meticulously planned, with police finding tools, gasoline, and disguises at the scene. The Louvre closed its doors for the day to preserve evidence as investigators combed through surveillance footage.

Officials and historians alike fear that if the jewels are melted down or altered, France could lose irreplaceable pieces of its royal past forever.

Credit: CNN Newsource

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