FAQ

It's an act that's rocking France: It took masked thieves just four minutes to break into the world-famous Louvre Museum and steal parts of the Crown Jewels. What's known about the coup?

How did the perpetrators get into the building?

According to initial findings, the fully masked perpetrators arrived at the Louvre around 9:30 a.m., shortly after it opened. They parked a vehicle with a lifting platform on the Seine-facing side of the museum. It was a conventional furniture lift, the kind used for moving.

Using this lift, the perpetrators reached a balcony about ten meters high. Several media outlets report that two men entered the Louvre after smashing the windows with a power grinder or small chainsaws. A third man stood guard outside.

How did the theft happen?

According to France's Minister of Culture, Rachida Dati, the perpetrators only needed four minutes to complete their robbery. They entered the Denon Wing of the Louvre through the window, where the"Mona Lisa," the world-famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci, is exhibited. The perpetrators were standing directly in the Apollo Gallery, where the French crown jewels are housed. There, they find jewelry from the time of Louis XIV and the Napoleonic Empire, including three large diamonds.

According to Dati, display cases were destroyed and valuables were stolen. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said:"The burglars had obviously scouted the location thoroughly beforehand and were very skilled." After the theft, according to the newspaper Le Parisien, they fled on two high-powered scooters. Video surveillance captured them on their way toward the A6 motorway.

Did the perpetrators use violence?

Culture Minister Dati told broadcaster TF1 that the perpetrators did not use any violence during their break-in."They're professionals." She had seen video surveillance footage, Dati said."They don't attack anyone; they walk in calmly. Of course, within four minutes, they destroy display cases, take their loot, and disappear without any use of force." Initially, authorities had called it a robbery. But the minister said it was a burglary.

What is known about the prey?

As the AFP news agency reported, citing the Ministry of Culture, the thieves stole eight pieces of jewelry. According to the newspaper Le Parisien, these are items from the jewelry collection of Napoleon and the Empress, including a necklace, a brooch, and a tiara. The Interior and Culture Ministries stated that, beyond their market value, the loot has"incalculable cultural and historical value."

According to Culture Minister Dati, the thieves lost one of the pieces of jewelry while fleeing. According to Le Parisien, the piece of jewelry is believed to be the crown of Empress Eugénie, set with more than 1,000 diamonds. The wife of Napoleon III, the last monarch of France who abdicated in 1870, was encrusted with more than 1,000 diamonds. The crown apparently fell off the burglars' hands and broke.

Were the visitors to the Louvre brought to safety?

Yes, the Louvre was evacuated. Panic broke out among visitors, reports the newspaper Le Parisien. Because the doors were locked—presumably due to the alarm—visitors were initially unable to get outside.

However, according to the Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Culture, the evacuation subsequently proceeded without incident. No one was injured. For security reasons and to preserve evidence and clues for the investigation, the museum was closed.

Is this the first incident of this kind at the Louvre?

No. The Louvre has a long history of thefts and attempted robberies. One of the most famous was a 1911 theft when the"Mona Lisa," one of the most important paintings in art history, disappeared from the museum. It has since been returned to its original location and attracts around 20,000 visitors daily.

The Louvre is the most visited museum in the world. Last year, nearly nine million visitors visited the art institution. The museum's collection includes more than 35,000 works of art. To manage the flow of visitors, there are strict access restrictions, with prescribed visitor routes and zigzag barriers in front of the most popular exhibits.

Have there been similar acts in Germany?

The break-in at the Louvre evokes memories in Germany of two spectacular art thefts: In 2017, perpetrators stole a 100-kilogram gold coin worth several million euros from the Bode Museum in Berlin. Two years later, perpetrators stole 21 pieces of diamond and brilliant-cut jewelry from the Green Vault in Dresden, causing over one million euros in damage.

Part of the Dresden loot is still missing. Following the break-in at Saxony's famous Treasury Museum, the security measures were thoroughly reviewed. The Dresden State Art Collections now have their own security department.