PTC News Desk: The Louvre Museum in Paris was shut down for the day after reports of a robbery surfaced, French Culture Minister Rachida Dati confirmed. The world-famous museum, home to priceless artefacts including the Mona Lisa, reportedly lost Napoleon-era jewels in the heist.
While the Louvre has yet to release an official statement, it cited “exceptional reasons” for its sudden closure.
Minister Dati announced the incident in a social media post, saying, “A robbery took place this morning at the opening of the Louvre Museum. No injuries reported. I am on-site with museum staff and police.”
"Priceless jewellery" was stolen from the museum, and the robbery lasted only "seven minutes", said Interior Minister Laurent Nunez.
The Paris prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation to determine the extent of the damage.
According to AFP, the robbers arrived on a scooter, armed with small chainsaws, and accessed the targeted area using a goods lift. They escaped with jewellery, and the exact value of the stolen items is being assessed.
French newspaper Le Parisien reported that the thieves entered through the Seine-facing facade, which is under renovation. They used a freight elevator to reach the Apollo Gallery, smashed windows, and stole nine pieces from the jewellery collection of Napoleon and Empress Joséphine.
Visuals from the site showed barricades around the Louvre and crowds waiting outside as traffic was restricted in the area.
The Louvre, the world’s most visited museum with up to 30,000 visitors daily, houses over 33,000 artefacts, including sculptures, paintings, and historical treasures. Among its most prized exhibits are the Mona Lisa, the Venus de Milo, and the Winged Victory of Samothrace. The gallery targeted in the robbery is home to part of the French Crown Jewels.
This is not the first time the Louvre has faced theft — the most infamous being the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa by Vincenzo Peruggia, a former employee who hid the painting under his coat. It was recovered two years later in Florence.
