Theft worth 88 million euros: Thieves raid the precious crown jewels from the Louvre Museum
French authorities are racing against time to recover the stolen crown jewels from the Louvre Museum after a stunning robbery that took place on Sunday. Paris's public prosecutor, Laure Beccuau, estimated the value of the stolen treasures at around 88 million euros, while also confirming that their historical value to France is priceless. More than a hundred investigators are currently involved in tracking down four suspects and attempting to recover the lost gemstones.
Beckou explained that the value of these jewels in the market is significant, but the thieves will gain little from them if they dismantle them or try to sell them illegally. She said in an interview with RTL television: "We hope they think carefully before destroying an irreplaceable heritage." Authorities are treating the case as one of the most important cultural theft crimes in modern French history.
The theft has sparked widespread debate about security measures at the Louvre Museum. French Culture Minister Rachida Dati defended the museum's protection systems, confirming that the alarm systems and cameras were functioning normally during the incident. She also announced the opening of an internal administrative investigation alongside the criminal investigation, aimed at ensuring full transparency in revealing how the thieves managed to carry out their bold operation.
According to police reports, the thieves used a lift basket to reach the museum's facade, then broke one of the windows and smashed several display cases inside the Apollo Gallery, where the French royal crown jewels are exhibited. The entire theft took only eight minutes, with the thieves spending less than four of them inside the museum. Dati described the incident as "a wound for all of us," emphasizing that the Louvre "is not just the largest museum in the world, but the heart of French culture and our shared heritage."
Authorities confirmed that the thieves stole eight valuable pieces, including a crown set with blue sapphires, a necklace, and an earring that belonged to Queens Marie Amélie and Hortense, as well as a necklace and earrings made of emeralds that belonged to Empress Marie Louise, Napoleon Bonaparte's second wife. An antique brooch, Empress Eugénie's crown, and a large diamond-studded brooch were also stolen — all of which are priceless imperial pieces dating back to the 19th century. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez explained that the museum's alarms went off as soon as the window of the Apollo Hall was smashed, and the police arrived at the scene two or three minutes after receiving the first report from a witness.