Journalism of Courage
In a pre-planned robbery straight out of a heist movie, thieves broke into Paris’ Louvre Museum on Sunday morning, stealing several pieces from France’s royal crown jewel collection before escaping on motorbikes. The heist, which lasted less than four minutes, has once again cast a shadow on museum security in France.
The break-in occurred around 9.30 am (0730 GMT), shortly after the museum had opened to visitors. According to France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, “three or four thieves entered the Louvre using a crane mounted on a truck.”
“They broke a window, headed straight to the Galerie d’Apollon, smashed the glass cases and stole jewels of immense historical value,” Nunez told France Inter radio.
Among the missing items are believed to be pieces from the French crown jewels, including the crown of Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III. One fragment of the crown was later recovered outside the museum, French media reported.
Culture Minister Rachida Dati said the operation was executed with “professional precision” and lasted just four minutes.
“They entered calmly, broke the cases, grabbed what they wanted and left no panic, no violence,” Dati told broadcaster TF1.
Visitors were evacuated moments after alarms went off, and police quickly cordoned off the area. Surveillance footage showed the suspects fleeing on motorbikes through the nearby Seine embankment.
A specialised anti-art theft unit has taken charge of the investigation, with police examining CCTV footage and tracking possible escape routes.
The Louvre, which attracts nearly nine million visitors a year, has long faced criticism for outdated infrastructure and overstrained security.
“Our museums were never built with today’s criminal sophistication in mind,” Dati said. “We must invest in modern security for our heritage.”
This is not the first time the museum has been at the centre of a high-profile theft. In 1911, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa was stolen by a museum worker and recovered two years later a heist that made the painting world-famous.
The Louvre said in a statement that it would remain closed “for exceptional reasons” while police conduct their investigation.
(With inputs from agencies)
