In what’s been described as one of the most brazen heists in recent memory, four balaclava-wearing thieves have broken into the Louvre — the world’s most-visited museum — and made away with necklaces, tiaras, and other items of “inestimable” value.
The heist went down at about 9.30am, local time, in the Louvre’s Apollon gallery, which is home to the French crown jewels. Per multiple reports, the robbery took all of seven minutes, and saw the thieves smash glass displays and grab multiple items as alarms sounded throughout the museum.
At first, the unarmed thieves fled on foot while threatening guards with angle grinders on their way out. From there, they evaded authorities on motorbikes. The group — which French interior minister Laurent Nunez described as “an experienced team who had clearly scouted the location” — are still on the run.
So what exactly did they take? And what did they leave behind?
What was stolen in the Louvre heist?
The French culture ministry confirmed that eight items were stolen during the heist.
The thieves targeted items owned by Emperor Napoleon, his nephew Napoleon III and their wives, the empresses Marie-Louise and Eugénie.
A diamond brooch belonging to Eugénie and worn during a visit by Queen Victoria in 1855 was stolen, as well as Eugénie’s tiara.
Meanwhile, an emerald necklace and earrings from Marie-Louise’s historical jewellery set was also stolen. Those pieces were given by Napoleon to Marie-Louise to mark their marriage back in 1810, so you can imagine they’re probably a bit pricier than your standard Lovisa haul.
Some of the most valuable items stolen were the pieces within the jewellery sets of Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense, including a tiara, earrings and a sapphire necklace. A brooch known as the Reliquary Brooch was the final stolen item.
What was missed in the Louvre heist?
While the thieves made away with a truly astounding haul, they weren’t entirely successful. Eugenie’s immensely valuable crown — made of gold, emeralds and more than 1,300 diamonds — was dropped by the group during their getaway, and was later found broken outside of the Louvre. Does finders keepers apply in that instance?
They also missed the $60 million (AUD) Regent Diamond, an omission which Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said was a mystery.
“I don’t have an explanation. It will only be when they’re in custody and face investigators that we’ll know what type of order they had and why they didn’t target that window,” Beccuau said.
So, what’s the damage?
Per SBS, the value of the eight stolen items is well into the tens of millions. But culturally, since they once adorned French royalty, the pieces are considered priceless. The damage is particularly hard-felt given that some experts predict “these jewels will never be seen again”.
What the thieves will do with the pieces remains a mystery, with some saying they will be dismantled, re-cut and re-sold, and others suggesting they’ll be used as collateral for drug deals.
In 1911, the Mona Lisa thief infamously left the painting under his bed, so there’s always that option, too.
Whatever the case, French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned the theft and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice. “The theft committed at the Louvre is an attack on a heritage that we cherish because it is our History,” Macron wrote on X.
“We will recover the works, and the perpetrators will be brought to justice. Everything is being done, everywhere, to achieve this, under the leadership of the Paris prosecutor’s office.”
Lead images: Getty Images and Louvre
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