Table of Contents
- Shocking Moment at the Louvre
- Details of the Theft
- Highly Organised Heist
- Ongoing Investigation
- Witness Reactions
THIS is the astonishing moment a thief breaks open the display case inside the Louvre during a remarkable multi-million heist.
Authorities have launched a manhunt for the “highly organised” gang after they stormed the Parisian museum on Sunday, making off with some of the world's most prestigious treasures.
The moment a brazen thief breaks open a display case in the LouvreCredit: BFMTV
He cuts through the windowCredit: BFMTV
The clip was reportedly filmed by a visitorCredit: BFMTV
The four thieves are believed to have been armed with power tools— including chainsaws— to break in and force open two display cabinets.
Dramatic footage reveals one gang member audaciously cutting through the protective window for the highly valuable jewels.
The clip, reportedly recorded by a visitor, features the man dressed in black with a high-visibility jacket.
The jacket is suspected to have been stolen from Paris City Hall.
According to French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez, “The window was cut through using a hand-held disc cutter.”
A chainsaw was subsequently employed to force entry into the cabinet, he added.
Paris’s chief prosecutor, Laure Beccuau, informed BFMTV that the criminals wore masks to conceal their identities while stealing eight priceless historical pieces from the Louvre’s Apollo gallery.
‘HIGHLY ORGANISED’
The seven-minute smash-and-grab heist involved the “highly organised” gang scaling the side of the world-renowned museum before breaking in and escaping with a collection of some of the world’s most coveted treasures.
The trio arrived on scooters at the museum around 9:30 am, targeting the side of the Apollo Gallery building facing the River Seine.
Inside, the gallery houses some of France’s most treasured artifacts— including royal jewels.
A cherry-picker provided them access to the first floor, and three of them climbed onto the balcony.
They then utilized a glass cutter to break through the window— with two of the gang rushing inside while one remained as a lookout.
It is believed the gang was equipped with power tools— including chainsaws— to smash their way in and break open two display cabinets.
Within just seven minutes, the thieves seized nine glittering pieces from the Napoleon and Empress Joséphine collection— but dropped one as they fled.
Among the stolen items are a necklace, brooch, and tiara, according to Le Parisien .
The thieves then escaped on TMax scooters toward the A6 motorway.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez described the rapid theft as a “major robbery.”
Among the treasures taken was the renowned Eugénie Crown— a stunning Second Empire piece crafted in 1855, adorned with thousands of diamonds and emeralds.
Worn by Empress Eugénie de Montijo, wife of Napoleon III, the crown was discovered discarded below a Louvre window, damaged after the gang's escape.
Alexandre Giquello, president of the Drouot auction house, stated that the crown alone was valued at “several tens of millions of euros— just this crown. And it’s not, in my opinion, the most important item.”
Tourists fled in panic from the Louvre after the dramatic robbery necessitated the evacuation and closure of the world’s most-visited museum.
France’s Culture Minister Rachida Dati announced on X: “A robbery occurred this morning at the opening of the @MuseeLouvre.
“No injuries have been reported. I am on site alongside the museum teams and the police. Investigations are underway.”
The museum confirmed an unexpected full-day closure “for exceptional reasons.”
Officers were later seen examining the large ladder that the thieves had transported to the scene on the back of a flat-bed truck and left leaning against the historic stone walls.
