In a daring daytime heist at the renowned Louvre museum in central Paris, a high-profile theft of historic crown jewels valued at £76 million took place. The thieves, armed with chainsaws, scaled the building and gained access by opening a window during the seven-minute operation. Recent reports suggest that the robbery may have been facilitated by an inside accomplice, as digital evidence indicates cooperation between a museum security guard and the perpetrators.
Using a furniture lift, the raiders accessed the first floor and broke into the Galerie d’Apollon, where the jewels were stored in cases amidst a crowd of visitors. Following the theft, two suspects were apprehended, one at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport while attempting to flee to Algeria. Although the criminals managed to snatch nine priceless pieces from the Napoleon and Empress Joséphine collection, they dropped one item during their escape.
The director of the Louvre offered to resign after acknowledging the security lapse during the robbery, attributing it to a mispositioned camera in the gallery. The incident has caused national outrage, with slim hopes of recovering the stolen treasures. French officials have initiated an administrative inquiry alongside the police investigation for transparency but have not disclosed details on how the thieves executed the heist. French culture minister Rachida Dati affirmed that the museum’s security system functioned effectively despite the breach.