Louvre Museum shuts after daring jewellery theft during opening hours

The Louvre Museum in Paris was shut down on October 19 following a robbery that took place shortly after it opened to the public. French officials confirmed that thieves broke into the museum around 9:30 a. local time and escaped with several pieces of jewellery. Authorities are still assessing the value of the stolen items.

According to investigators, the suspects arrived on a scooter and were armed with small chainsaws. They reportedly accessed the museum through an area facing the Seine River, where renovation work is ongoing.

Using a freight elevator, they reached the Apollo Gallery — home to part of the museum’s historic jewellery collection — and smashed windows to seize nine pieces believed to have belonged to Napoleon and Empress Joséphine.

The museum, one of the most visited in the world, closed its doors “for exceptional reasons” following the incident. No injuries were reported. Police and museum officials, along with Culture Minister Rachida Dati, were on-site as investigations began.

The Louvre, which attracted about nine million visitors last year, has long been a symbol of France’s cultural heritage. The theft has raised fresh concerns about the security of national treasures housed in one of Paris’s most iconic landmarks.