A grand theft occurred this morning during the opening of the Louvre museum in Paris, the French Minister of Culture announced in X, with the museum announcing that it was closed for exceptional reasons.
A robbery occurred this morning at the opening of the Louvre Museum. No injuries were reported. I am on the scene with museum staff and police. Investigations are ongoing, wrote Rashida Dati.
Un braquage a eu lieu ce matin à l’ouverture du @MuseeLouvre. Pas de blessés à déplorer. Je suis sur place aux cotés des équipes du musée et de la police. Constatations en cours.
— Rachida Dati ن (@datirachida) October 19, 2025
One or more assailants entered the museum, the minister's entourage told AFP.
The museum has not yet made an official announcement, but on its Facebook account it stated that the facilities will remain closed due to extraordinary circumstances.
Initial reports in French media said a group of robbers arrived on motorbikes, entered an elevator used to transport large objects and went straight into the room they had targeted. They were armed with small chainsaws and are said to have stolen jewels from Napoleon's collection before disappearing.
Un cambriolage a eu lieu au Louvre ce matin.
Importante présence policière sur place.
La foule est tenue à distance. Le musée restera fermé aujourd’hui. @BFMTV pic.twitter.com/E3Oo048ZQO— Antoine Forestier (@a_forestier) October 19, 2025
According to Le Parisien, there were three perpetrators and they were wearing hoods to hide their features.
They entered the building from the Seine bank side, where work was being done. They used an elevator to go directly to the room they had targeted, the Apollo Gallery.
After breaking the window, two of them entered, while a third remained outside. The perpetrators stole nine pieces from Napoleon and the Empress's jewelry collection: a necklace, a brooch, a diadem.
The famous Régent diamond was not stolen
According to a source from the Louvre, the famous Régent, the largest diamond in the collection weighing over 140 carats, was not stolen. The damage has not yet been assessed.
The Police are also on site investigating the case.
The museum has been closed and no injuries were reported from the robbery.
⚠️🇫🇷 The Musée du Louvre will remain closed today for exceptional reasons.
pic.twitter.com/bFY1hRaW5k
— Musée du Louvre (@MuseeLouvre) October 19, 2025
