Power tool-wielding robbers flee Louvre with 'priceless' jewels

A group of thieves armed with power tools carried out a bold heist at the Louvre on Sunday, stealing invaluable jewels in just seven minutes during broad daylight, according to officials and sources.

Authorities were actively searching for the suspects as of Sunday afternoon. However, a significant clue was found nearby: the damaged 19th-century crown of Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III, left near the museum.

According to sources and museum officials, the robbers gained access to the gallery—home to France's crown jewels—using a furniture hoist and power tools.

The crown, known for its ornate design of golden eagles and encrusted with 1,354 diamonds and 56 emeralds, was reportedly broken during the theft. A source familiar with the investigation, who requested anonymity due to media restrictions, confirmed the crown’s condition and recovery location.

The Louvre has yet to release an official statement on the full extent of the damage or what other items may have been taken.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez confirmed that a group of three to four thieves used a furniture hoist to steal “priceless” artifacts from two display cases in the Louvre’s famed “Galerie d’Apollon” (Apollo’s Gallery).

Authorities have yet to determine the full extent of the theft, and it remains unclear what other items may have been taken. The gallery is known for housing major historical treasures, including the Regent, Sancy, and Hortensia diamonds, along with an emerald and diamond necklace gifted by Napoleon to Empress Marie Louise.

According to a source close to the investigation, the robbers struck between 9:30 and 9:40 a.m. local time—just 30 to 40 minutes after the museum opened its doors to the public. A separate police source said the perpetrators arrived on a scooter equipped with angle grinders and used an extendible furniture ladder to access the gallery.

The daring daylight heist occurred a mere 800 meters from Paris police headquarters.

Shortly afterward, the Louvre announced on X (formerly Twitter) that it would be closed for the day due to “exceptional reasons,” without initially referencing the theft. When contacted by AFP, the museum declined to comment further.

The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed that a formal investigation has been launched, though the total value of the stolen goods is still being assessed.