Paris: The Louvre Museum in Paris reopened on Wednesday, three days after a daring daylight robbery in which thieves stole royal jewellery worth more than $100 million, French authorities said.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau confirmed that the eight stolen items, including a tiara and earrings once belonging to Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense, were valued at about 88 million euros. “This is not just an economic loss, but a profound historical one,” Beccuau said in a televised interview.
The heist, which took place in broad daylight over the weekend, lasted only seven minutes. Four masked robbers reportedly used a crane to smash an upstairs window of the Apollo Gallery before fleeing on motorcycles. The crown of Empress Eugénie was later found discarded outside the museum, believed to have been dropped during the thieves’ escape.
The Louvre’s director, Laurence des Cars, has not yet commented publicly but is expected to testify before the French Senate’s culture committee on Wednesday. Earlier this year, Des Cars had warned Culture Minister Rachida Dati of a worrying level of obsolescence in the museum’s infrastructure and called for urgent upgrades.
The theft has highlighted broader concerns about museum security in France. In recent months, the country has seen a string of high-profile robberies, including the theft of gold nuggets worth over $1.5 million from the Natural History Museum and artefacts valued at $7.6 million from a museum in Limoges.
An audit by France’s Court of Auditors earlier this year also pointed to persistent delays in security improvements at the Louvre, noting that only a quarter of one wing is currently covered by surveillance cameras.
The Louvre, home to the world’s most famous artworks, including the Mona Lisa, welcomed 8.7 million visitors last year and 8.9 million in 2023, maintaining its status as the most visited museum in the world.
