The world-renowned Louvre museum in Paris was temporarily closed Sunday, October 19, 2025, after thieves executed a brazen seven-minute heist, stealing priceless French crown jewels from the Apollo Gallery in a meticulously planned operation.
Interior Minister Laurent Nunez confirmed several individuals entered the Louvre at 9:30 AM using a basket lift mounted on a truck, cut through windows with a disc cutter, smashed display cases, and fled on motorcycles with jewelry of “inestimable value.” The robbery occurred as tourists were already inside the museum.
Nine pieces from Napoleon and Empress Josephine’s jewelry collection were stolen, including a necklace, brooch, and tiara.
Culture Minister Rachida Dati reported one jewel was found near the Louvre and is being evaluated. No injuries occurred during the October 19 heist, though confused tourists were evacuated as police sealed the iron gates.
The temporary closure marks a rare shutdown for the world’s most-visited museum. Nunez called it “manifestly a team that had done scouting,” as investigations continue. The theft echoes the famous 1911 Mona Lisa robbery, when Vincenzo Peruggia stole the Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece, recovered two years later in Florence.
