‘Heist of a century’: How robbers broke into Louvre & stole ‘priceless’ jewels under 8 mins

It’s being called the “heist of the century”,  a daring robbery carried out in broad daylight at Paris’ iconic Louvre Museum.

In a stunning turn of events, eight priceless Napoleonic-era artefacts were stolen from the world’s most visited museum in under 8 minutes on Sunday. The theft has sent shockwaves across France, sparking outrage, disbelief, and a full-blown national investigation.

French President Emmanuel Macron described the robbery as “an attack on a heritage we cherish,” vowing that those responsible would be brought to justice.

A team of 60 investigators is in a race against time to track down four suspects and recover the treasures of “inestimable value”, known as France’s crown jewels, amid fears they may be lost forever.

Here’s all you need to know about the robbery.

How did the thieves break in 

In a highly professional raid , four balaclava-wearing thieves pulled up outside the Louvre on a road along the Seine River.

According to a CNN report, around 9.30 am, half an hour after visitors had started entering through the front, two men in motorcycle helmets arrived on Yamaha T-Max scooters at the south side of the building. Another two men, dressed in yellow and orange vests, sat inside a monte-meubles, a truck mounted with a basket lift commonly used to hoist furniture into Paris’ hard-to-reach apartments.

After placing traffic cones to secure the area, the thieves deployed the lift. Two men climbed up to the second-floor balcony and used an angle grinder, a handheld cutting and grinding tool, to break through a window.

Wearing yellow vests, the pair clambered into the Apollo Gallery, one of the Louvre’s most ornate rooms, home to the French crown jewels and other priceless artefacts.

A tour guide told CNN that he heard what sounded like “stomping” on the windows that morning, just before security began evacuating the museum.

“I was just trying to figure out what’s happening when I saw the museum staff going to that noise. Then they did a turn around, like real quick, and they started running and saying ‘get out, get out, get out, get out, evacuate!’” Ryan el Mandari told the outlet.

Inside, the thieves used the grinder again, this time to smash two display cases, and grabbed nine pieces of Napoleonic-era jewellery. With priceless treasures in hand, the thieves flee through the broken window and descend on the ladder

A security officer managed to stop the thieves from setting fire to their truck, but they escaped along the banks of the Seine on two scooters.

What was stolen and what’s left behind?

According to a Guardian report, officials confirmed that eight pieces of jewellery were stolen in the daring Louvre heist.

Among the treasures taken were a necklace and a pair of earrings gifted by Napoleon I to his second wife, Empress Marie-Louise. Also missing are a diadem, a brooch, and a decorative bow that once belonged to Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III. The diadem alone was sparkling with nearly 2,000 diamonds.

The thieves also grabbed a tiara, necklace, and single earring from a sapphire set worn by Marie-Amelie, the last queen of France. That necklace, officials said, is studded with eight sapphires and 631 diamonds.

As they made their getaway on scooters, the robbers dropped two items, including the Crown of Empress Eugénie, which was later found broken near the scene, according to officials.

The thieves also missed one of the most valuable pieces in the gallery, the Regent Diamond, valued by Sotheby’s at over $60 million.

“That item alone is worth several tens of millions of euros,” said Alexandre Giquello, president of France’s leading Drouot auction house, in a statement to Reuters. “And it’s not, in my opinion, the most important item” taken by the burglars.

Experts warn that because the stolen items are unique and instantly recognisable, they cannot easily be sold. Instead, the thieves may melt down the metals and remove the gems, emeralds, sapphires, diamonds, and pearls to sell them individually. Investigators fear they may have less than a week before the jewels are lost forever.

Uproar in Paris

For a country that takes immense pride in its history and cultural heritage, the heist has sparked a wave of outrage and embarrassment across France.

President Macron has vowed to recover both the jewels and the criminals, assuring that “everything is being done, everywhere, to achieve this.”

The Culture and Interior ministries held an emergency meeting on Monday and directed senior officials across France to review and strengthen security at cultural institutions, Reuters reported, citing the Interior Ministry.

Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin admitted that the heist painted a grim picture of the country. “What is certain is that we failed,” he told France Inter radio, calling it a “negative” and “deplorable” image of France. “The French people all feel like they’ve been robbed.”

Meanwhile, Macron’s political rival Jordan Bardella, leader of the far-right and a frontrunner for the 2027 presidential election, said the incident reflected “the disintegration of the state” under Macron, calling it “an unbearable humiliation for our country.”

Not the first heist at Louvre

This isn’t the first time the Louvre has found itself at the centre of a major theft.

Back in 1911, a museum decorator named Vincenzo Peruggia famously stole the Mona Lisa. At the time, Da Vinci’s masterpiece wasn’t the global icon it is today, but the heist turned it into one. Crowds began flocking to see the spot where it once hung, sparking a worldwide fascination with the painting.

Nearly 28 months later, Peruggia was caught after trying to sell the artwork in Florence, which led to the Mona Lisa’s safe return to the Louvre.

In more recent years, French museums have continued to face high-profile thefts. Raw gold was stolen from the National Museum of Natural History, while porcelain works worth around $11 million were taken from the Adrien Dubouché Museum in Limoges just last month.

Following the latest Louvre heist, the SUD Culture union criticised the government for cutting jobs dedicated to security and failing to properly fund surveillance equipment.

According to a Times report, staffing has been a growing concern at the Louvre. Earlier this year, staff went on strike, forcing temporary closures as they raised alarms about overcrowding and mass tourism. In 2023, the museum even decided to limit visitors to 30,000 per day, roughly a third of its previous capacity.

Although it remains unclear whether staffing shortages directly contributed to the theft, unions warned in June that employees were still overstretched, with too few people monitoring too many entrances, exits, and visitors.

With input from agencies