The Louvre Museum to remain closed after a surprise hunt as the hunt for thieves continues
The Louvre Museum in Paris will remain closed on Monday following a daring heist in which eight of the royal jewels were stolen in just seven minutes.
The police are on the hunt for a four-man commando unit responsible for one of the brave musicians you have seen in years.
The robbery happened on Sunday morning around 9:30, half an hour after the museum opened its doors.
Thieves used a truck equipped with a lift to break into the Galerie d’Apollon, home to some of France’s historic treasures.
Armed with disk cutters, they hit two display cases – containing Napoleon’s jewels and other French crown jewels – before fleeing on two scooters.
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Investigators later found tools, gloves, and two stolen pieces, including the damaged crown of Empress Eugénie. The crown, made of gold, has more than 1,300 diamonds. The second piece has not been identified.
According to French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, the thieves were very skilled and could be linked to an organized crime network.
A group of about 60 investigators from the Paris anti-hang unit and the anti-trafficking office of cultural goods are now leading the hunt.
Stolen Jewels are almost impossible to sell on the open market. Authorities are investigating whether the heist was orchestrated by a third party or if the thieves intended to use the stones to capture cash.
Shock and surprise
The heist sparked a strong reaction from politicians and tourists alike.
Visitors were left disappointed on Monday morning as a long queue formed outside the closed museum.
Rodrigo and Alicia, a couple from Spain, told Euronews they bought their tickets last month.
“It’s frustrating, we really expected to visit the public for the first time,” he said in an interview.
Elaine and Christina, two sisters from Ireland, do not hide their fascination with the ingenious heist.
“It feels like we’re part of history, we can’t even believe it. It’s amazing and amazing at the same time. It’s sad, and I hope they get people involved,” Elaine said.
French justice minister Gérald Darmannin described the robbery as sending a very bad image of France to the world, saying the public felt “personally” about the theft.
French President Emmanuel Masron called the theft “an attack on the values we value.”
The leading national rally described the looting as ‘disgraceful’ and ‘damaging’ to the French soul. ” The leader of the group, Marine Le Pen, said in X, “our museums and historical buildings are not protected from the cold threat to them. We have to react.”
On the left, former French president François Hellande urged the authorities to focus on tracking down thieves rather than reducing the political debate.
Security concerns at the Louvre have already been raised several times over the past few years.
In June, Museum workers went on strike to protest the lack of security personnel, highlighting the dangers confirmed by a recent study by COUR COUR COUR COUR COUR COUR COUT DESS DESS – The highest research institute in the country.
The report revealed that in the Denon Wing, where the galerie d’Apollon and the Mona Lisa are located, one in three rooms does not have surveillance cameras.
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The Louvre, which welcomes more than eight million visitors every year, also faced long-running infrastructure problems.
Leaks, misappropriation, and overcrowding have prompted calls for renewal, and French President Macron has announced plans for great flexibility at the beginning of the year.
The “Louvre New Renaissance” program, a decade-long project, aims to improve the museum’s infrastructure, reduce the Museum’s congestion, plan for congestion, and give the Mona Lisa a dedicated gallery in 2031.
