Louvre reopens after millions stolen in jewellery theft in Paris

The Louvre reopened its doors on October 22, just three days after a heist in which imperial jewels were taken in less than seven minutes.

According to the National plus agencies, the museum opens to the public at 9 am local time, and visitors start arriving at the infamous landmarks.

On October 19, the Apollo gallery was broken into. The thieves had reportedly used an angle grinder to break the windows and gain entry to the Apollo gallery. No injuries were reported in the incident.

It had been reported that around 100 investigators are looking for the offenders. The theory so far is that it is a well-organised crime, as the thieves used a ladder on top of a lorry to climb up to the Apollo gallery.

The jewellery that had been stolen is marked to be not only ‘priceless’ but also an essential signature of cultural heritage, power and wealth.

Among the treasures taken was an emerald and diamond necklace bestowed by Napoleon I upon Marie-Louise, and a tiara set with close to 2,000 diamonds that had once been part of Empress Eugénie’s collection.

This isn’t the first significant theft where a lack of security has been breached in French museums.

In September this year, criminals broke into the natural history museum in Paris, leaving with gold nuggets that were valued at more than $1.5 million.

In the central city of Limoges, thieves also stole two dishes and a vase, which are estimated to be worth around $7.6 million.

This follows repeated concerns raised over the museum’s failure to modernise its surveillance and protection systems, including in 2024 when activists threw soup at the infamous Mona Lisa.

The French interior minister, Laurent Nũnez, spoke on the crime committed on October 19, stating that the thieves were clearly an “experienced team” and describing the jewels as having an “inestimable heritage value.”

Experts say the investigation is urgent, as the stolen jewels are likely to be dismantled or melted down and quickly sold as individual pieces – making them much harder to trace.

The National plus agencies, Maghrebi.org