French police are hunting four thieves who carried out a highly professional daylight raid on the Louvre, breaking into one of the museum’s most ornate rooms and escaping with eight pieces of “priceless” historic jewellery, including a necklace given by Napoleon to his wife, El.kz cites the Guardian.
The world’s most-visited museum was suddenly closed for the day on Sunday after the break-in targeted pieces in two glass cases in its Apollon gallery, where the French crown jewels are held.
A crown worn in the 19th century by Empress Eugénie, the wife of Napoleon III, was found broken near the museum after the thieves fled. It features golden eagles and is covered in 1,354 diamonds and 56 emeralds. The French culture ministry said eight items of jewellery were stolen, including an emerald and diamond necklace that Napoleon gave to his wife, Marie Louise.
Other jewels stolen included a sapphire necklace and sapphire earrings worn by Napoleon’s stepdaughter Hortense, who became the queen of Holland, and which was also worn by the 19th-century queen Marie Amélie.
The French interior minister, Laurent Nuñez, visited the scene and told France Inter radio that “priceless” jewels “of unmeasurable heritage value” were stolen after what was clearly a well-organised raid.
The thieves struck at 9.30am local time on Sunday and Nuñez said it took them seven minutes to make off with the jewels. He said: “They stole jewels which have a real heritage value, an inestimable heritage value.”
The thieves approached the building from the outside, at an area where building work was taking place. A truck and a basket lift were used to access the museum. They used an angle grinder and power tools to break windows and enter. Nuñez said it was the work of “an experienced team who had clearly scouted the location”.
He said three or four suspects had fled – their route was known and police were investigating whether it was a gang known to them for other crimes. Investigators were studying footage from security cameras.
Nuñez would not confirm what jewels were taken but said the thieves targeted two glass cases. The gilded Apollon gallery of the Louvre, the ornate decoration of which was commissioned by the Sun King, Louis XIV, has a collection of historic crowns, diadems and sovereign jewellery. It is one of the museum’s most spectacular rooms. Pieces usually on display there include three historic diamonds, the Regent, the Sancy and the Hortensia.
The Paris prosecutor, Laure Beccuau, said the thieves did not target or steal the world-famous Regent diamond kept in the same gallery.
Nuñez said the museum was evacuated to preserve evidence and to allow investigators and forensics teams to carry out their work. He later wrote on social media: “Targeting the Louvre is targeting our history and our heritage.”
The Paris prosecutor has opened an inquiry into the theft and work is under way to estimate the value of the stolen pieces.
Police are hunting for four thieves. The culture ministry said alarms went off when the display cases were opened and museum security guards intervened and called police. The thieves fled, leaving their equipment behind them.
Le Parisien newspaper reported that the thieves had been dressed in building attire, wearing yellow hi-vis jackets.
The French culture minister, Rachida Dati, was first to announce the incident. “A robbery took place this morning at the opening of the Louvre museum,” she wrote on social media. She used the French word braquage, which can mean robbery or hold-up. She added: “No injuries reported. I’m on site with museum staff and police.”
Dati confirmed that one stolen piece of jewellery was recovered outside the museum where the thieves had fled.
At least one person had entered the museum, a member of her team told Agence France-Presse, without adding anything about any possible theft.
The Louvre said it was closing for the day “for exceptional reasons”, without providing further details on what had been stolen.