On October 19, 2025, a robbery occurred at the Louvre Museum in Paris, resulting in the theft of eight items from the Gallery of Apollo, which houses a collection of historic jewelry. An attendant present during the incident reported hearing a loud, metallic noise that initially led her and two colleagues to suspect it was caused by a disruptive visitor. However, the noise originated from thieves using an angle grinder to breach a reinforced window.
The criminals quickly accessed the gallery by using a mechanical ladder from a lorry. In a span of eight minutes, they stole valuable treasures, including a necklace belonging to Empress Marie-Louise and a diadem previously owned by Empress Eugenie, with a combined estimated value of €88 million (£77 million). Panic ensued as two tourists attempted to confront the thieves, prompting the attendant to alert her colleagues to evacuate the area.
A colleague raised the alarm via walkie-talkie, and as they closed off gallery access to protect other areas, the attendant expressed disbelief about the vulnerability of the display cases. An anonymous security guard later described noticing a strong smell of petrol near the scene, indicating that the thieves had ruptured the lorry’s fuel tank and had intended to set their vehicle on fire. He noted that they left behind significant evidence, including a piece they had attempted to steal.
Museum director Laurence des Cars acknowledged that the crown likely sustained damage during its removal and mentioned the possibility of delicate restoration. She also critiqued the museum’s security measures, emphasizing a lack of funding and inadequate surveillance capabilities, despite state assurances that security had functioned correctly during the robbery.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgk2ppvl5wo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss