Louvre thieves steal priceless jewelry, escape on motorbikes in Paris

Thieves broke into the Louvre in Paris and stole worthwhile jewellery earlier than fleeing on bikes, French officers mentioned Sunday.

Inside Minister Laurent Nuñez known as the theft a “main theft” that “lasted seven minutes.” Chatting with France Inter, he mentioned the thieves “entered from exterior utilizing a basket raise” and “a disc cutter” to chop home windows containing valuable jewels.

“The investigation has begun and an in depth record of the stolen gadgets is being compiled,” the ministry mentioned in a press release. “Along with their market worth, these things have invaluable heritage and historic worth.”

The museum reported on X that it will stay closed that day for “distinctive causes,” though it didn’t instantly present particulars. No accidents have been reported.

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Law enforcement officials stand close to the pyramid of the Louvre Museum after stories of a theft in Paris, France, October 19, 2025. (Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes)

In line with the French every day Le Parisien, the thieves entered by means of a bit of the museum underneath development alongside the River Seine.

The crew reportedly used a freight elevator to entry a room within the Apollo Gallery, which homes among the French Crown Jewels.

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Forensic law enforcement officials arrive on the Louvre museum after stories of a theft in Paris, France, October 19, 2025. (Reuters/Gonzalo Fuentes)

The crew stole “9 items from the jewellery assortment of Napoleon and the Empress,” together with a crown believed to have belonged to Empress Eugénie, the newspaper reported. The crown was later discovered damaged exterior the museum, the report mentioned.

FILE – Individuals stroll exterior the Louvre museum, Sunday, Aug. 31, 2025, in Paris. (AP Photograph/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, file)

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The Louvre is residence to greater than 33,000 works of antiquity, sculpture and portray – from Mesopotamian artefacts and Egyptian relics to masterpieces by European artists. Iconic treasures embody the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo and the Winged Victory of Samothrace.

The Related Press contributed to this report.