🇫🇷💎 In a shocking daylight robbery at Paris’s iconic Louvre Museum, thieves used a crane to break in and steal priceless French royal jewels, including the famed crown of Empress Eugénie, before making a swift escape.
The daring heist took place on Sunday morning, October 19, 2025, around 9:30 a.m., shortly after the museum opened to the public.
According to authorities, 3–4 masked thieves used a truck-mounted crane to access the Galerie d’Apollon, where the French crown jewels are displayed. Within just six to seven minutes, the professional-looking burglars smashed display cases, collected valuable jewelry, and fled, leaving no one physically harmed. During the escape, some pieces, including Empress Eugénie’s diamond-and-emerald crown, were dropped outside and later recovered.
French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez confirmed the stolen items are of immense historical value, making it impossible to estimate their true worth. Culture Minister Rachida Dati described the thieves’ operation as highly skilled, noting they targeted objects efficiently and left the museum without committing violence.
The audacious robbery has raised urgent security concerns at one of the world’s most visited museums, which welcomed 8.7 million visitors in 2024. French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the theft, vowing to recover the stolen artifacts and strengthen museum security. Investigators are exploring whether the heist was orchestrated by organized criminals or commissioned by private collectors.
The Louvre, home to masterpieces such as the Mona Lisa, remained closed to the public following the incident, while authorities launched a full-scale investigation to prevent future high-profile art thefts.
This heist is being called one of the most brazen art and jewelry thefts in modern history, drawing comparisons to the 1911 Mona Lisa theft, when a former museum employee stole the famous painting, which was recovered two years later.
#ParisHeist #LouvreRobbery #FrenchCrownJewels #LouvreMuseum #ArtTheft #EmpressEugenie #ParisNews #MuseumSecurity #BreakingNews #InShortNews