What Happened at the Louvre

The Louvre, home to 33,000 works of art and protected by approximately 1,300 security personnel, is well known for its security measures and often said to be more guarded than a maximum security prison. Despite these defenses, an audacious heist occurred in broad daylight. On October 19, 2025, around the Louvre’s opening time of 9:30a.m., a group of four masked thieves targeted the museum’s Gallery of Apollo. This gallery houses the French Crown Jewels, most of which were stolen after the French Revolution. 

A façade of construction work aided their heist, as the gang dressed in high-vis vests and helmets, and used a mechanical lift to reach a second-floor window via a balcony near the River Seine. Two of the thieves accessed the building using power tools to cut through the window. Guards evacuated the premises after being threatened, and the two thieves used the aforementioned tools to cut through two glass display cases. They stole eight invaluable items, including Empress Eugénie’s diamond and emerald tiara. This crown was made up of more than 1,300 diamonds and an emerald-encrusted cross. They also stole a Queen Maria Amalia sapphire set with a tiara, necklace, and earring, an Empress Marie Louise set with an emerald necklace and earrings, and Empress Eugénie’s reliquary brooch and corsage bow brooch. 

They were in the museum for a total of four minutes, and escaped on two high-powered scooters at 9:38a.m. While fleeing, the group dropped and left the Crown of Empress Eugénie. The crown was found badly damaged as the thieves had pulled it through a small opening in the glass case. The other jewels remain missing, and are valued at over 143 million dollars (some 88 million euros). The Louvre was closed for the rest of the day to allow for forensic investigation. 

This is not the first time the Louvre has been the target of a heist. Most famously, in 1911, the Mona Lisa was stolen by an Italian handyman named Vincenzo Peruggia. Peruggia was able to hide the painting under his coat and walk out of the building. These incidents show that even the most famous and valuable works are highly vulnerable and equally irresistible, despite over a century of improved security. 

The 2025 Louvre heist is a reminder that no museum – no matter how secure – is immune to theft. These jewels represent centuries of French history and culture. While authorities continue to search for the missing pieces, the robbery highlights the strong allure of historic pieces, and the lengths people will go to have them.