In a daring daylight heist at the renowned Louvre museum in central Paris, historic crown jewels valued at £76 million were stolen during a seven-minute operation. The thieves utilized chainsaws to scale the building and gain entry through a window.
New reports suggest that the robbery may have been an inside job, as investigators believe there was collaboration between a member of the museum’s security team and the perpetrators. Evidence indicates that sensitive information about the museum’s security measures was shared with the robbers.
The thieves accessed the first floor using a furniture lift and broke into the Galerie d’Apollon, where the valuable jewels were stored in display cases. They managed to steal nine priceless items from the Napoleon and Empress Joséphine collection but dropped one piece while making their escape.
Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the Louvre Museum robbery. One of the suspects was apprehended at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport while trying to board a flight to Algeria. The culprits fled the scene on motorbikes after descending using a cherry picker with their stolen loot.
The Louvre’s director offered to resign following the heist, acknowledging a failure in security protocols due to a mispositioned camera in the gallery. The theft has sparked national outrage, with slim prospects of recovering the stolen treasures. French authorities have initiated an administrative inquiry alongside the police investigation to ensure transparency regarding the incident.