Thieves Execute Swift Heist at Louvre, Steal Priceless Napoleonic Jewels

On Sunday morning, October 19, 2025, thieves executed a swift and audacious robbery at Paris's Louvre Museum, making off with nine pieces from the Napoleonic-era jewelry collection housed in the Galerie d'Apollon. The heist, which lasted approximately seven minutes, began around 9:30 a.m. local time. The perpetrators used a basket lift to access a window on the Seine-facing facade, an area under construction, to enter the museum. Once inside, they employed disc cutters to breach display cases and seize the jewels.

The stolen items are of "inestimable" historical and patrimonial value, according to the French Interior Ministry. One of the stolen pieces, believed to be Empress Eugénie's crown, was later found damaged outside the museum.

In response to the incident, the Louvre was closed for the day to facilitate the investigation. Visitors were evacuated, and nearby streets were cordoned off. Culture Minister Rachida Dati and Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez visited the site to coordinate with museum officials and law enforcement.

The Louvre, renowned as the world's most visited museum, has a history of notable thefts, including the 1911 disappearance of the Mona Lisa, which was recovered two years later.