Louvre Museum in Paris Has Been Robbed, Nine Items of 'Incalculable' Value Stolen — What We Know So Far

An audacious daytime heist has triggered a major police response in Paris. Here's what's known about the high-stakes theft inside the world's most visited museum.

The Louvre Museum in Paris, France, was the target of a swift and meticulously executed robbery on the morning of October 19, 2025, with multiple items of historic jewelry stolen from its treasured collection.

French police have confirmed the break-in, which took place just after the museum opened for the day, prompting an immediate closure and full lockdown of the site.

At approximately 9:30 a.m. local time, three or four fully hooded individuals arrived on two high-powered TMax scooters. They gained access to the museum from the quayside of the Seine, where construction work was already in progress.

Investigators say the suspects used a gondola lift — the kind commonly seen during furniture deliveries in Paris — to reach a balcony leading directly into the Apollo Gallery, located on the first floor.

Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez told France Inter radio that the thieves used a lift mechanism mounted on a truck to breach the Galerie d'Apollon, the wing that houses France's crown jewels.

Once in position, two of the individuals used an angle grinder to cut through a window. After gaining entry, they smashed two display cases, moved rapidly through the galleries, and fled the scene on motorbikes. The entire operation lasted just seven minutes.

No injuries were reported, and the suspects left behind several items, which are now being examined by investigators. Nuñez confirmed that authorities are also reviewing security footage and physical evidence recovered at the scene.

The Paris prosecutor's office has reportedly opened a formal investigation, focusing on organized theft and criminal conspiracy. A source inside the office revealed that the full extent of the losses is still being assessed.

The targeted gallery is among the most ornate rooms in the museum, famed for displaying what remains of France's crown jewels. In total, nine pieces of jewelry were taken, including a necklace, a brooch, and a tiara.

All are believed to have belonged to Napoleon and Empress Eugénie. A preliminary assessment confirmed that the Regent — a 140-carat diamond, and the largest in the Louvre's collection — was not stolen.

However, the heist didn't go entirely to plan. One of the stolen items, believed to be Empress Eugénie's crown, was later found discarded outside the museum. The object, described as having inestimable value, appeared to be damaged.

Nuñez called it "a major robbery," adding that the operation bore all the hallmarks of an experienced and professional team. He said the group acted with speed and surgical precision.

He added that the jewelry had "patrimonial" and "historical" value that made it "priceless." In the immediate aftermath, authorities evacuated the museum "mainly to preserve evidence and clues so that investigators could work undisturbed," Nuñez said. "I expect we will very soon find the thieves and jewels."

Police have since cordoned off the Louvre, sealing off one major road that runs along the riverbank in front of the building. The investigation is currently concentrated on the south-east corner of the museum, where the balcony and gondola were located.

A large, extendable ladder mounted on the mechanized lift remains in place and appears to have been part of the thieves' entry route. It remains unclear whether the lift was pre-existing maintenance equipment or deliberately placed as part of the plan. The local mayor could not confirm its origin.

Following the robbery, the museum's official account posted on X, "The Musée du Louvre will remain closed today for exceptional reasons." Tourists who had planned visits were turned away, many of them gathering at the gates in confusion.

One visitor, posting under the name Tom on X, wrote, "Just got to the Louvre and can see the security are locked inside! Everyone at the gates is being told that they cannot go in and that it is shut for today." He added that both staff and the public were locked inside the museum after the robbery occurred.

Online footage appears to capture the immediate aftermath, showing visitors being urgently evacuated and reports of "total panic" spreading as word of the robbery got out.

While no one was hurt, the sudden closure left hundreds stranded in the dreary October weather, unable to enter what is widely considered the most visited museum on Earth.

Spanning nearly 73,000 square meters — the size of more than 10 football fields — the Louvre is the world's largest museum, home to an unparalleled collection of priceless art and cultural treasures.

The items taken are said to hold "incalculable" historical and cultural value, according to the French Interior Ministry, far surpassing any monetary figure.

Still, speculation has already begun about what the thieves plan to do with the stolen goods. With the price of gold sky-high, investigators fear the pieces could be dismantled, melted down, and sold for scrap — a move that would make recovery almost impossible.

A source close to the case added, "[...] Some diamonds can be sold at retail," making the task of tracing or reconstructing the jewelry even more challenging.

Authorities are drawing parallels to a separate theft in mid-September when the Museum of Natural History in Paris was robbed of several gold specimens valued at roughly $70,000. At that time, the items were described as "an invaluable loss for research."

As the investigation deepens, experts are poring over photographic records of the missing artifacts to better assess the extent of the damage. For now, the full value of the stolen collection remains unknown.

The Louvre has not yet announced a reopening date. Meanwhile, police are urging anyone with information about the break-in or the whereabouts of the stolen treasures to come forward.